Box Score May 10, 2011
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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Freshman C Jason Taasaas (Elk Grove, Calif.) clubbed his second home run of the season to cut the Spartans' lead to 5-3, and the Tigers rallied for two in the ninth inning, but San Jose State picked up a 7-5 win over Pacific Tuesday despite being out-hit by the Tigers.
Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, Taasaas crushed a 2-0 pitch over the scoreboard in left center to cut the margin to two, but San Jose State picked up two runs back in the bottom of the seventh. Pacific rallied in the ninth for a pair of runs, but left runners on the corners to fall 7-5.
Pacific picked up a run in the first as sophomore LF/2B Tyger Pederson (Palo Alto, Calif.) singled to open the ball game and sophomore 3B Dustin Torchio (Santa Cruz, Calif.) followed with a double to left center. Senior RHP/DH Matt Carvutto plated Pederson with an RBI groundout as the Tigers got on the board first.
Spartans RHP Andy Hennessey avoided further damage, and was given a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second. 1B Danny Stienstra led off the Spartans' second with a home run to left to tie the game at one, and after a single by DH/RHP Zack Jones, SS Nick Borg walked. C Michael DiRocco followed with a two-out double to right to plate both runners and give San Jose State a 3-1 lead.
Carvutto (2-2) departed after two innings, and senior RHP Robbie Richardson (Lodi, Calif.) tossed three shutout frames before the Spartans plate two in the sixth. Jones started the bottom of the sixth with a one-out single to left and was running on the 3-2 pitch as Borg singled to right center. Jones came around to score with Borg taking second on the throw. SJSU 3B Tyler Christian doubled to left to bring home Borg and stretch the Spartans lead to 5-1.
With one out in the Pacific seventh, freshman SS Curtis Gomez (Watsonville, Calif.) singled into the hole at short, and Taasaas followed with his blast to left to cut the lead to 5-3. Junior PH Brett Christopher (Livermore, Calif.) drove a deep fly into the left field corner, but the Spartans' LF Craig Hertler laid out to make a diving catch at the foul line to rob Christopher and then ran to the left-center field gap to catch a fly ball off the bat of Pederson to end the inning.
The Spartans added two runs in the bottom of the seventh of freshman LHP Andrew Wild (Visalia, Calif.) as Hertler and Stienstra each walked and after Hertler stole third, Jones added a sacrifice fly before CF Jason Martin singled to center to extend the Spartans lead to four at 7-3. Jones then moved to the mound for the final two innings for San Jose State.
In the ninth, Pacific rallied as junior CF/LF Daniel Johnston (Portola Valley, Calif.) was hit by pitch and with two out, stole second base. Taasaas walked and Christopher loaded the bases with a single to center. Pederson came through with a two-run single to center, but with runners on the corners, Jones coaxed a fly out to end the ballgame.
Hennessey picked up the win with three earned runs in seven innings of work while striking out a career-high seven to improve to 3-3 on the season.
Freshman LHP Kyle Crawford (Modesto, Calif.) tossed the final 1.1 innings for Pacific, retiring four batters with no hits allowed. He entered in the eighth and ended the frame without throwing a pitch by picking off Martin.
Taasaas finished the day two-for-three at the plate with two runs scored and a pair of RBI, while Pederson and Torchio each posted two hits in five at bats.
The Tigers fall to 15-29 on the season, while San Jose State improves to 31-18.
Pacific is back in action on Friday at Seattle in a noon start to open a three-game series. The Tigers will face the Redhawks in a 7 p.m. start on Saturday and conclude the series with a Sunday noon ballgame. Pacific will remain in Seattle to face Washington on Monday at 2 p.m.
