By Nancy Castaneda — Staff Writer
The San Jose State’s baseball team (10-7, MW 4-3) opened its three-game series against the UNLV (11-8, MW 2-2) Friday night with a 2-1 walk off on a wild pitch.
Freshman first baseman Nik Trapani was up to bat when UNLV’s Cameron Jabara’s pitch went wide and allowed junior catcher Johnny Mendoza to score.
“Ten hits off a pitcher throwing that good is a good feeling,” Mendoza said. “This is a big series and it’s important to win this weekend.”
UNLV freshman infielder Jack Wold got the Rebels on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the third innning. That would eventually be their only run of the game.
The Spartans trailed 1-0 until the ninth inning. Mendoza tied the game with an RBI single and scored junior outfielder Kellen Strahm and later scored the winning run three batters later.
Senior left-hander Andrew Mitchel was in the spotlight as he alloweed two hits in eight innings pitched. He struck out six and held the Rebels to the one run.
“He did a great job and settled into it, as the game went on, he got stronger,” said head coach Brad Sanfilippo about Mitchel. “To pitch that way against a good offensive team and hold them to only two hits and a few walks is a testament to Andrew and his game.”
SJSU looks for its second win in weekend series Saturday at 2 p.m. at Municipal Stadium.
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