Three game non-conference recap (Stanford, UC Davis, Pacific)

Stanford at San Jose State: 5/3/2011

Final Score: Cardinal 3 Spartans 1

SJ State: Craig Hertler 3-for-4, Jason Martin 1-for-3 RBI.
Stanford: Brian Ragira 1-for-3 RBI, Tyler Gaffney 1-for-4 RBI

W: Dean McArdle (6-2)-- 5 1/3 IP 3H 0 ER 4 K
L: Roberto Padilla (8-4) -- 5 IP 3 H 1ER 3K
SV: Chris Reed (5)

San Jose State at UC Davis: 5/4/2011

Final Score: Aggies 6 Spartans 5

SJ State: Craig Hertler 4-for-4 with 2 RBI, BB
UC Davis: Scott Heylman 3-for-4 RBI/David Popkins 2-for-3 2 RBI, BB

W: Tom Briner (3-1): 1.1 IP 0 ER 0K
L: Zack Jones (0-2): 1.2 IP 5 ER 2 K (Blown Save)

Pacific at San Jose State: 5/10/2011

Final Score: Spartans 7 Tigers 5

SJ State: Danny Stienstra 1-for-2 HR(2), RBI, 2 BB/Nick Borg 2-for-2, RBI, BB
U of P: Tyger Pederson 2-for-5, 2 RBI/Jason Taasaas 2-for-3, HR(2), 2 RBI, BB

W: Andy Hennessey (3-3): 7 IP 3 ER 7 K
L: Matthew Carvutto (2-2) 2 IP 3 ER 0K
SV: (none)

Spartans swat Hornets to take series

SJSU improved their conference record to 9-7 by taking three of four from Sacramento State over the weekend.
Strong starting pitching was a theme to the weekend for the Spartans, limiting the Hornets to nine runs in the four game series.
Senior pitcher Andy Hennessey pitched 8 1/3 scoreless innings in the series finale, helping SJSU rebound from a 2-0 defeat the day before in their only loss during the weekend.
The Spartan's also defeated the Hornets once on Friday (5-3) and once on Saturday (5-4) behind strong pitching performances by Roberto Padilla and Blake McFarland.
Stanford, UC Davis and Pacific will oppose SJSU in the upcoming week before they take a weekend off from conference play.
SJSU will resume WAC play when they travel to play Hawaii for a four game series.
The Rainbow Warriors are atop the WAC standings, but a sweep for the Spartans would give them a better conference record if the weekend were to go in their favor.

SJSU statistical leaders as of April 27, 2011.

Pitching:
Roberto Padilla (7-3) 2.82 ERA (Team-high 70 IP, three complete games) (Opp. hitting .221 vs Padilla)
Blake McFarland (5-2) 5.00 ERA (couple of rough starts inflating ERA)
Estaban Guzman (5-1) 2.76 ERA (0 HR allowed in 45 2/3 IP) (12 BB/53 K) (nearly 5:1 ratio)
Zack Jones (0-1) 2.25 ERA (41 K in 28 IP) (7 saves)

Hitting:
Danny Stienstra .383 BA, 1 HR, 37 RBIs. (Has struck out just six times in 167 at-bats, best in the conference). (.479 SLG, .433 OBP), (0 Errors, 341 put-outs).
Jacob Valdez .336 BA, 1 HR, 14 RBIs. (.437 OBP leads team as a freshman)
Zack Jones .321 BA, 2 HR, 20 RBIs. (team-high .486 SLG %)

Spartans punished by Aggie offense, get redemption against Louisiana Tech.

Following a three day assault that resulted in SJSU yielding more than 11 runs per game in a four game series with New Mexico State -- the Spartans got back on track this weekend by taking three of four at home from the visiting Louisiana Tech Bulldogs to improve their conference record to 6-6.
Senior pitcher Blake McFarland responded by throwing his best game of the season against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, just a week after his worst start of the season against the Aggies where he lasted just three innings and gave up seven earned runs in the loss.
Against Louisiana Tech, McFarland bounced back by tossing a complete game shutout, limiting the Bulldogs to five hits while striking out nine in his fifth win of the season (5-2).
McFarland's gem came in the final game of the series, a 4-0 win that followed the Spartans' 3-2 extra-innnig victory the night before.
The only loss of the series for SJSU came on Friday in the first game of a double-header that by WAC rule is a seven inning contest.
Eric LaBaron started the game for SJSU on the mound, but lasted only one inning in his first start of the season after serving primarily as a relief pitcher in 2011.
LaBaron allowed three runs in the first, but SJSU eventually took the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning before freshman Johnny Melero allowed a pair of runs in relief that allowed the Bulldogs to recapture the lead 5-4, this time for good.
Aside from the sole loss, SJSU outscored Louisiana Tech 25-2 in the three games the Spartans' won.
The most lopsided victory came in the first game of the series, a game that saw SJSU score nine runs in the first en route to a 18-0 thumping of the visiting Bulldogs.
Junior pitcher Roberto Padilla pitched six scoreless innings on his way to his team-high seventh win of the season (7-3) and only allowed three base runners in the game (2 hits, 1 BB).
Shortstop Nick Borg had five RBIs to pace the Spartan offense, hitting a pair of triples to cap his 3-for-5 performance.
The 18 runs is the most SJSU has scored in one game in 2011, surpassing the 14 they scored in a win against Wisconsin Milwaukee in March.
SJSU will travel to play Sacramento State this weekend in a four game set, trailing Hawaii (7-1), Fresno State (8-3) and Nevada (4-3) in the WAC standings.
The Hornets occupy last place with a 1-7 conference mark, but did win a game 2-1 against Fresno State last weekend and defeated St. Mary's 5-4 on Monday to enter having won two of their last three.

SJSU's last two WAC series: (4-4)
Game 1 at New Mexico State: SJSU 5 NMST 9
Game 2 at New Mexico State: SJSU 8 NMST 16
Game 3 at New Mexico State: SJSU 7 NMST 3
Game 4 at New Mexico State: SJSU 8 NMST 20

Game 1 vs. Louisiana Tech: SJSU 18 Louisiana Tech 0
Game 2 vs. Louisiana Tech: SJSU 4 Louisiana Tech 5
Game 3 vs. Louisiana Tech: SJSU 3 Louisiana Tech 2
Game 4 vs. Louisiana Tech: SJSU 4 Louisiana Tech 0

WAC Standings entering this weekend:
1. Hawaii  7-1
2. Fresno  8-3
3. Nevada 4-3
4. SJSU    6-6
5. NMST  5-7
6. LATech 4-8
7. SacST   1-7

Spartans send strong pitching to face fearsome New Mexico State offense

While still lacking recognition from national polls after splitting a series with No. 14 Fresno State, SJSU will travel to face the conference's most prolific offensive unit over the weekend when they play New Mexico State.
The Aggies lead the WAC in nearly every major offensive catagory, helping fuel a 24-8 record and a lineup that is spewing with gaudy batting averages.
Outfielder Tanner Waite leads the WAC, hitting at a clip of .486 entering the weekend while shortstop Ryan Aguayo and second baseman Parker Hipp are both hitting better than .400 in more than 90 at-bats.
Hipp also leads the nation in RBIs with 47.
Mediocre opposition may be feeding the Aggie prowess, but WAC conference will reveal if the 2011 team is as fearsome as their non-conference schedule may suggest.
SJSU now is ranked No. 69 in the NCAA RPI poll after Tuesday's 10-0 win against USF, improving their overall record to 22-11.
Against their toughest opponents (then No. 2 UCLA and then No. 9 Fresno State), SJSU has fared well, posing a 4-3 record against two of the nation's best pitching staffs.
The Spartans' have now won games against UCLA's Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer and Fresno State's Greg Gonzalez, three pitchers who will likely be among the nation's leaders in ERA, wins and innings pitched.
They had a lead in three of the four games versus Fresno State, watching Sunday's game turn on an 0-2, two-out pitch, that Fresno State first baseman Jordan Ribera sent packing for a three run home run.
SJSU eventually lost 5-3, leaving 11 runners on base and failing to score a run in three separate innings that yielded runners in scoring position with less than two outs.
New Mexico State split their series with Louisiana Tech to open WAC play, averaging less than three runs per game and being victimized by shutouts tiwce by Bulldog pitching.
The two shutouts may be the first sign that the Aggies nonconference schedule may be inflating what appears to be unrealistic offensive numbers half way through the season.
The series starts Friday, with SJSU's Roberto Padilla taking the hill after a strong showing last week against Fresno State in which he pitched into the ninth inning.

SJSU dominates Dons, gets pay back in rematch



The Spartan offense swung their way past USF Tuesday, 10-0.



SJSU beat USF 10-0 on Tuesday, avenging a loss by the same score earlier in the season to the Dons.

Johnny Melero got the start and allowed just one hit in four innings before giving way to D.J. Slaton and John Austin who completed the shutout.

Senior Outfielder Jason Martin had three hits for SJSU, as did freshman second baseman Jacob Valdez who also stole a base.

Martin became SJSU's all-time hit leader just more than a week ago in a game against UC Santa Barbara.

No. 9 Fresno State splits series to open WAC play at SJSU

Fresno State senior first baseman Jordan Ribera awoke from a season-long offensive slumber on Sunday,  sending a three-run home run over the center field fence to break a 2-2 tie and earn No. 9 Fresno State a series split in its four-game series with San Jose State over the weekend.

The 5-3 loss erased SJSU’s bid to take three of four from the defending Western Athletic Conference champions, as the Spartans won the opening game of the series on Friday before splitting a double-header on Saturday. 

“When we’re up two to one in the series, our guys are very well aware of how important the fourth game is,” said head coach Sam Piraro. “Our feeling is that when we play at home, we want to win every series we play.” 

Missed opportunities characterized Sunday’s loss, as SJSU left 11 runners on base and were one strike away from getting out of the seventh inning jam that resulted in Ribera’s tiebreaking blast.

“It was an 0-2 pitch,” said Piraro. “He (Eric LaBaron) obviously didn’t locate it where he wanted to and Ribera turned it into a game winner.”

Ribera now has two home runs in 2011 after leading the nation in that category with 27 last season.

Sophomore third baseman Tyler Christian got the initial scoring started for SJSU with a two-run homerun to left field in the bottom of the fourth

Trailing 2-1 going into the fifth inning against SJSU starting pitcher Andy Hennessey, Fresno State pushed the tying run across with two outs after a base hit by senior shortstop Garrett Weber.

SJSU’s sophomore right fielder Tim Quiery potentially took away a run earlier in the inning, leaving his feet in right-center field to take an extra-base hit away from Fresno State and preserve the lead for the time being.

“Our positioning was very good,” said Quiery. “I got a good jump on the ball and just tried to make a play.”

While Fresno State was able to tie the game later in the inning with Weber’s single, Quiery’s catch prevented what could have been a much bigger inning for the Bulldogs.

“It was a spectacular catch,” Piraro said. “Tim did a great job of diving because he felt he had a chance. He got a great jump on the ball and had the courage to make the play.”

With the game tied 2-2 heading into the bottom the seventh, senior reliever Eric LaBaron set down the first two Bulldog hitters he faced before issuing a walk and a hit batsman to bring Ribera to the plate.

LaBaron got ahead of Ribera with two quick strikes, but his third pitch hung in the zone long enough for last season’s WAC hitter of the year to belt it over the 390 foot mark in centerfield.

“He’s a big time home run hitter,” said Piraro.

SJSU managed to score a run in the bottom of the ninth on senior first baseman Danny Stienstra’s team-leading 29th RBI of the year, raising his average to .382 after a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

Stienstra has been the anchor of the SJSU offense in 2011, batting cleanup and leading the team in RBIs (29), hits (50), average (.382), doubles (12), total bases (62), at-bats (131) and games played (32).

“It really comes down to hard work and being persistent,” said Stienstra. “If you’re not having a good day, you still have to try to maintain a good attitude. I’ve just been trying to stay positive and I think that has helped a lot.”

Sunday’s 5-3 loss put the Spartans at 21-11 overall on the season, while the Bulldogs improved to 22-5 on the season.  

Both teams sit at an even 2-2 in WAC play after the series split.

Despite Sunday’s loss, the Spartans became the first team to defeat Fresno State more than once during a series in 2011 and maintain a winning record (4-3) against teams ranked in the top-10 nationally, taking two games from then ranked No. 2 UCLA earlier in the season.  

Non-conference snapshots

Spartans stats on the mound as of March 26, 2011

Roberto Padilla: (WAC pitcher of the week during March) (JC transfer, first year in Division I)

2011 Season Stats

4-1 W-L (team high in Wins)

2.35 Earned Run Avg. (best among SJSU starters)

38 1/3 Innings pitched (team high)

29 Strikouts (team high)

.212 (opponents batting average)

3 Complete Games (team high)

Blake McFarland: (2011 WAC preseason pitcher of the year) (JC transfer from SBCC last season)

2011 season stats

3-0 W-L

3.52 Earned Run Average

30 2/3 Innings pitched

23 Strikeouts

.277 (opp. AVG)

8 BB

Eric LaBaron: (Senior)(JC Transfer from Marin)

2011 Season Stats

1-0 W-L

0.90 ERA

10 Innings pitched

6 strikeouts

.143 (opp. AVG)

7 BB

SJSU offensive leaders as of March 26, 2011

1B Danny Stienstra: (SR)
Stienstra's return to form has turned what looked to be an average offensive team into what has proven to be much better. His .373 average leads the team, as do his eight doubles and 19 RBIs. Stienstra also hasn't committed an error at first base in 179 attempts and has only struck out twice in 83 at-bats.
2B Jake Valdez: (FR)
Valdez wasn't on the lineup card on opening day and didn't start until SJSU hosted Albany on Feb. 23.
His two hits that night were a prelude to what he has done all season since earning Piraro's favor. Valdez has the second best average on the team at .370 and boasts a .460 on-base percentage. Five errors on the young season is the only thing keeping Valdez from being the everyday second baseman for the remainder of the year.
SS/UTIL Zack Jones: (SO)
Piraro still is trying to figure how to best utilize Jones' vertile talents. It's a nice problem to have as Jones is hitting .361 with two homeruns and 13 RBIs while posting a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings on the hill. His stuff is electric, evidence by 23 strikeouts in 17 innings, but Jones walks are the cause of most of his long innings as he needs to cut down on the 11 he has issued thus far.
OF Craig Hertler: (SR)
Hertler was another Spartan who wasn't considered an everyday guy until his bat started to think differently. He has established himself as SJSU's  leadoff hitter with a .355 average and .467 ob-base percentage. He's also been hit by a team hight six piches, stole five bases in six attemps and hasn't committed and error in 22 chances.
Nice Surprises:
Andrew Rodriguez: 17 at-bats, .353 AVG, 5-5 SB (team high), .577 OBP (team high), 9 BB (team high)
Caleb Natov: 34 at-bats, .344 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI

Spartans stand at 14-6 with conference play approaching

With just more than a week left to go before WAC play begins, the Spartans have leveled off a bit after an 8-1 start to the season.
Since their 4-2 win over Santa Clara on March 4, the Spartans have managed a 6-5 record while enduring their longest losing streak of the season (3).
After SJSU took the first game from Santa Clara, the Broncos strormed back by taking the final two games, limiting SJSU to a total of five runs in the two losses.
The Spartans' third loss in a row came two days later to Pacific in 13 innings, as SJSU botched a 6-1 lead in the 11-10 defeat.
The 13 inning defeat at Pacific spurred a four game winning spree for the Spartans who responded by defeating Wisconsin Milwaukee twice, while taking games from UC Davis and Utah during the two day Jack Gifford memorial tournament.
SJSU's winning streak was abrubly halted by a hot USF team who dismantled the Spartans 10-0 in their March 15 contest. It was the first time SJSU had been held without a run all season.
Inclement weather washed out the start of the Spartans trip to Seattle, but once play resumed SJSU was able to take two out of three on the road-trip.
SJSU won 6-5 and 9-5 in the first two games, dropping the final contest 6-2 in a shortened seven inning game.
Once the rain stops, SJSU is set to play UC Davis for a three game set. Roberto Padilla (4-1, 2.35 ERA) and Blake McFarland (3-0, 3.52 ERA) are both likely to throw during the series versus the Aggies. SJSU has already beaten UC Davis twice on the young season.

SJSU bounces back after first loss of season to top St. Mary's 5-2

Tuesday's 5-2 win against St. Mary's put SJSU at 7-1 for the year and saw an assortment of arms combine to hold the Gael's to one earned run.
Five Spartan pitchers contributed to the victory, as Estaban Guzman, John Austin, D.J. Slaton and Eric LaBaron each pitched two innings without allowing an earned run.
Zack Jones came on in the ninth for SJSU and allowed a run on an RBI-single to pinch-hitter Riley Heinzer.
Slaton picked up the win in relief and struck out four in just two innings of work for his first collegiate victory.
Leadoff hitter Andrew Rodriguez walked three times and had a hit in his first Spartans start while freshman second baseman Jake Valdez stayed hot with another 1-for-2 performance to go along with an RBI.
SJSU will begin a three game series with Santa Clara on Friday and will likely send WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Blake McFarland to the hill for the first game.
WAC Picher of the Week Roberto Padilla (2-0) will aim for his third win of the year on Saturday.
Santa Clara was swept to open the season by defending national champion South Carolina to open the year but bounced back with a four-game sweep of Albany. They stand at 4-4 for the year after losing 8-4 to Stanford on Tuesday.

San Jose State splits final two games with No. 1 UCLA to win weekend series

Just eight games into the 2011 season, SJSU already has the makings of a formidable front-end of the rotation and enough offense to hang with the big boys of college baseball.
For the second weekend in a row strong starting pitching paced the Spartans, this time on their road trip to UCLA where they won the first two games of a three game set.
Starter Roberto Padilla earned his second victory of they season with a complete game on Saturday, going the distance and allowing just three runs to the Bruins.
WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Blake McFarland followed up by pitching five innings in the victory on Sunday in SJSU's 8-3 win, marking the Spartans' sixth straight win to open 2011.
Freshman reliever Johnny Melero replaced McFarland in the sixth and worked three scoreless innings for SJSU before giving way to Zack Jones in the ninth.
SJSU scored eight runs on 10 hits, courtesy in part to Danny Stienstra who was 3-for-5 on the day with 2 RBIs. Stienstra leads the team after seven games with five RBI.
Hertler was 2-for-3 with a walk while Jason Martin entered the game as a reserve and finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Senior Kerry Jenkins also added two RBIs on a double for SJSU.
Possibly the most impressive aspect of SJSU's offensive output was the fact that they did it against UCLA pitcher Gerit Cole who was a Preseason All-American. The Spartans tagged Cole for five runs in just 5 1/3 innings of work, a statline Cole hasn't had that often while playing for the Bruins.
The Bruins took out their frustrations in the final game by pounding out 22 hits on the way to a 12-2 route of the Spartans. Dean Espy had 4 RBI for UCLA while Cody Regis and Cody Keefer finished with three hits a piece.
Martin accounted for all of the Spartans' scoring with a two-run single but finished 1-for-4.
Spartans (6-1) host Saint Mary's on Tuesday as part of a make-up game after the rains washed out some of opening weekend.

SJSU baseball upsets No. 1 UCLA

Going into Saturday, UCLA's pitching staff hadn't allowed a run en route to a 4-0 start in 2011.
SJSU ended the Bruins pitching perfection with two runs in the fourth on a Craig Hertler two-run home run and dropped UCLA from the undefeated ranks with a 5-3 win.
The Spartans' senior outfielder belted the homer with two outs after catcher Michael DiRocco reached on a two-out, two-strike single to extend the inning and give Hertler the opportunity.
The home run was Hertler's only hit of the game, but sophomore Zach Jones was 3-for-3 on the day with a run scored while freshman second baseman Jake Valdez had his second straight two-hit game.
DiRocco finished 2-for-4 with an RBI out the the ninth spot in the lineup and caught for his former Ohlone college teammate Roberto Paddilla who started on the mound for SJSU. DiRocco's average stands at .474 after Saturday's performance.
Padilla stifled the Bruin bats in his first complete game of the season. The junior left-hander allowed three runs on five hits while walking four to improve his record to 2-0. 
In two appearances this season, Padilla has allowed just 12 hits while posting an ERA of 2.42. His debut came out of the Spartan bullpen against Saint Mary's where he earned his first victory.
No UCLA hitter managed more than one hit against Padilla on Saturday in the Bruins first loss of 2011.
UCLA starting pitcher Trevor Bauer went 6 2/3 innings and took the loss, surrending four earned runs and one unearned run on eight hits.
The Spartans (5-0) and the No. 1 Bruins (4-1) will play the second game of the series Sunday at 12 noon.
The two teams still need to complete Friday's game which was rained out in the second inning with UCLA leading 1-0 and will do so in one of the two games shceduled for Sunday.

Rain suspends SJSU's first game at UCLA

One inning of play was completed Friday before the rain forced the umpires to suspend play with the score 1-0 in the Bruins favor.
The make-up game is scheduled to be played Saturday at 2 p.m. and there will be a nightcap pending the weather.
When play resumes, the Spartans will be batting in the top of the second inning after being retired on nine pitches in the first by UCLA starter Gerrit Cole.
Beau Ameral put the Bruins on top with a solo home run in the home half of the first inning.

SJSU stays perfect by outlasting Albany in 17 inning affair

The longest game of head coach Sam Piraro’s 24-year tenure at SJSU showcased the Spartans erase a four-run defecit tobeat Albany 6-5 Wednesday night in 17 innings.

SJSU starting pitcher Sean Martin lasted only 3 1//3 innings in his season debut, forcing the bullpen to go the remaining 13 2/3 innings.

“Sean is a lot better than what he showed tonight,” Piraro said. “Albany’s left-handed hitters really handled him so I wanted to find a way to offset that.”

Piraro turned to freshman reliever D.J. Slaton after Drew Bradshaw entered the game but failed to record an out. Slaton struck out both the batters he faced in the inning to keep the deficit at four.

“D.J. kept us in the game both mentally and physically tonight,” Piraro said. “We weren’t scoring a lot of runs so if we go down by six or seven at that point it doesn’t look good.”

            Sophomore third baseman Tyler Christian led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to left field to put the Spartans on the board for the first time.

            Still trailing 4-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, SJSU rallied with a leadoff hit by freshman second baseman Jake Valdez who was making his first start of the year for the Spartans. The Spartans loaded the bases on a Tim Quiery single before Danny Stienstra singled in a run and Anthony Bona tied the game at four with a two-run single.

            SJSU fell behind again in the top half of the eighth but tied the game in the bottom half on Christian’s second home run of the night.

            “I was looking for a fastball,” Christian said. “Luckily, I got one belt-high and didn’t miss it.” 

            The game was tied 5-5 until the bottom of the 17^th inning when SJSU started another rally, this time with two outs and no runners on base. With the bases clear, Christian walked and Valdez was hit by a pitch. Senior outfielder Tommy Gale stepped in with runners at first and second and delivered the game winning hit down the right field line to score Christian and give SJSU the 6-5 victory.

            “It’s all about mental toughness,” Gale said. “I just tried to stay within myself and not do too much. I think that’s why the game went so long because guys were trying too hard at the plate.”

The 17 inning game was Piraro’s longest game since becoming SJSU’s head coach and lasted five hours and twenty three minutes. SJSU next travels to play UCLA on Friday to begin a three game series over the weekend at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.

Spartans remain undefeated, improve to 3-0 with win over UC Davis

San Jose State 5 UC Davis 4

Strong starting pitching and timely hitting paced the Spartans to their third win in a row to open the 2011 season as SJSU (3-0) bested the Aggies of UC Davis (1-3) Tuesday 5-4.

The Spartans rode starter Esteban Guzman for the first five innings and held a 3-1 lead courtesy of RBIs by shortstop Zack Jones and first baseman Danny Stienstra before SJSU called to the bullpen in the sixth.

Guzman, a junior, finished five innings of work while allowing just one run while scattering five hits in his first start of the season.

Freshman reliever Johnny Molero was first out of the pen for SJSU and worked 1.1 innings before head coach Sam Piraro turned to reliever Jason Kafka with a runner on second and one out.

Kafka proceeded to throw a wild pitch and walked two batters to load the bases, but was able to strike out the Aggies’ Scott Heylman for the second out of the seventh.

The next Aggies’ hitter erased the Spartans’ comfortable 3-1 lead on a single swing of the bat as David Popkins  belted a three-run triple to the alley in left field to clear the bases.

Popkins ended up standing on third as his seventh inning hit allowed UC Davis to recapture the lead for the first time since the third inning. UC Davis remained on top 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

            The Spartans’ own late-inning fireworks erupted in the home half of inning seven, as senior center fielder Jason Martin legged out a ground ball with two outs to extend the inning and bring Tim Quiery to the plate.

            Quiery followed suit with a hit of his own to plate the tying run and even the game at 4-4. However, the Spartans were unable to add insurance to their lead in the seventh , failing to score with the bases loaded and one out.

            With the score tied in the eighth, sophomore third baseman Tyler Christian put the Spartans ahead to stay with an RBI-double that scored Stienstra and gave SJSU the lead back at 5-4. Stienstra was the lone Spartan with multiple hits and finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

            With the lead going into the ninth inning, SJSU stuck with reliever Eric LaBaron preserve the Spartans’s first one-run victory of the season.

LaBaron (1-0) earned the win in relief, holding the Aggies scoreless over 2.1 innings of work and snuffing Davis’ scoring threat in the ninth. LaBaron was the only Spartan pitcher not charged with an earned run on the night.

            The Spartans return to the diamond tonight at home against Albany in their bid to remain undefeated. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. against the Great Danes.

           

2011 SJSU Pitching Preview

Last spring, SJSU head baseball coach Sam Piraro was desperately searching for ways to solidify a pitching staff that had been decimated by graduation and the draft.
"Our pitchers went through the school of ‘hard knocks' last season," Piraro said at Bay Area Media Day. "I told them that last year we got our degree; now let's go get our masters."
Unlike a year ago, the 2011 Spartans are fortunate to have a surplus of arms that will give Piraro confidence regardless of who is on the hill.
Blake McFarland, the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, enters the season as the ace of the staff after establishing himself throughout the conference with a standout 2010 campaign.
McFarland, a senior, posted a 7-4 record with a 3.62 ERA and three complete games in just less than 100 innings pitched last year. After transferring from Santa Barbara Community College, McFarland accomplished all this in his first year of Division-I baseball.
"The experience alone helped me a lot last year," McFarland said. "It was my first year playing at this level and I feel so much more comfortable going into this season knowing what to expect a little more."
McFarland will have another highly touted arm to join him in the Spartan rotation in 2011, as Junior College All-American Roberto Padilla turned down the MLB draft to pitch for SJSU this spring.
Padilla was taken in the 23rd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks but chose not to sign when his asking price was deemed too high by the team who drafted him. Arizona's frugality turned into a pleasant surprise for SJSU as Padilla was ticketed for the minor leagues.
The 6-foot-3-inch southpaw was exactly what Piraro was looking for to shore up the pitching woes that plagued SJSU last year and contributed to a 23-37 record.
"Roberto has tremendous stuff," Piraro said. "The ball moves a lot and if he ever fully masters his breaking pitch it will take him a long way."
McFarland and Padilla look to be a formidable 1-2 punch to head the Spartan rotation, but what has Piraro most excited about this year's team is the pitching depth that has been a trademark of his good teams in the past.
Juniors Sean Martin, Estaban Guzman and Andy Hennessey are all hurlers who Piraro is comfortable handing the ball to, giving him a great deal of flexibility that was nonexistent going into last season.
"All three of those guys showed periods last year where they could be very effective," Piraro said. "To their credit, they are much more confident this year."
Piraro flirted with the idea of putting the flame-throwing sophomore Zack Jones in the starting rotation, but believes the dual-threat talent helps the team the most when he comes out of the 'pen.
"Once you have established a lead, preserving it is very important to me," Piraro said. "Zack is a guy who gives me a great deal of confidence late in a game."
Jones has been clocked at a glove-popping 95 mph and helped the Spartans find some stability out of a shaky bullpen a year ago.
The most intriguing part of Jones' game is the fact that Piraro believes he is a better hitter than he is a pitcher.
"Scouts tend to be more curious of the pitching talents Zack possesses," Piraro said. "But his marketability goes way up with how versatile he is."
Piraro plans on using Jones at shortstop to get his bat in the lineup but is also able to bring him into the game to pitch if needed to close out a game.
In 2010, Jones was also in his first year of Division-I baseball like teammate Blake McFarland and made an equally impressive adjustment coming out of high school.
"I feel like I have matured and was able to see the competition," Jones said. "It was an adjustment year that has given me a lot of confidence."
While Jones will likely be called on to close out games, the Spartans bullpen has a bevy of arms whom Piraro sees as a strength that was lacking a year ago.
Senior John Austin has increased his velocity by more than 5 mph since this time last season and will be counted on out of the 'pen. Senior Eric LeBaron, freshman D.J. Slaton and sophomore David Wayne Russo will also help SJSU in relief.
The old adage in baseball claims that good pitching beats good hitting just about every time. With a formidable rotation and depth in the 'pen, SJSU is hoping the adage holds true.

Spartans start season 2-0

Sunday, Feburary 20, 2011
SJSU 5 Saint Mary's 1
After having their season opener postponed due to rain, the Spartans (1-0) opened the season on Sunday with a 5-1 victory over the visiting Saint Mary's Gaels (0-1).
Preseason WAC Pitcher of the Year Blake McFarland had a strong start to his senior campaign, lasting 4.2 innings and allowing just one run on an RBI single in the fourth by Saint Mary's Brendan Kalfus.
Roberto Padilla made his Spartan debut in relief, holding the Gaels scoreless in 4.1 innings of work while striking out six.
Padilla earned the win out of the pen for his first Division I victory after transfering from nearby Ohlone College last year.
Cather Michael DiRocco, also a Ohlone product, led the Spartans at the plate with a 2-3 day and two RBIs.
The offense was also fueled by Nick Borg's RBI single and 2-4 day while Craig Hertler added an RBI of his own on a fifth inning double.

Monday, Feburary 21, 2011
SJSU 2 Saint Mary's 0
Nick Borg's solo home run proved to be all the Spartans needed Monday as they defeated Saint Mary's 2-0 in Moraga, Calif.
The Spartans (2-0) have allowed just one run in 18 innings of play with Saint Mary's (0-2) during their two-game stint.
Starter Andy Hennessey threw 4.2 innings of scoreless ball before reliever John Austin came in from the pen with two out in the fifth inning to get SJSU out of a jam and earn his first win of the year.
Hennessey ran into trouble early in the first inning with runners at first and third and no one out, but was helped out when catcher Michael DiRocco threw out a runner at second. With one out, SJSU outfielder Tim Quiery hosed a runner trying to score from third on a fly-ball off the bat of Troy Channing for an inning ending double-play.
Sophomore Zack Jones also made an impressive debut on the hill, striking out four of the six batters his faced in route to his first save of the season.
Jones consistenly registered on the gun at 95 mph but topped out at 98 at one point in the game.
Offensively the Spartans were once again led by DiRocco who had two hits for the second day in a row. Borg finished 2-4 with the lone home run of the ballgame and is hitting .500 for the young season.
The Spartans return to the diamond tonight against UC Davis at Municipal Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Projected SJSU Rotation, Bullpen, Lineup and Bench.

2011 Projected Rotation:

1.      (JR) Blake McFarland RHP ­

 (Preseason WAC pitcher of the year has improved from a year ago according to coach Piraro)

2.      (JR) Roberto Padilla LHP

(Junior college All-American southpaw turned down the MLB draft to deal for the Spartans)

3.      (JR) Andy Hennessey/ (JR) Sean Martin RHP / (JR) Estaban Guzman

(All three arms have shown marked improvement since last season and are vying for final rotation spot. Hennessey has the early edge)

Bullpen:

1.        (SO) Zack Jones (Dual-threat star brings mid 90’s out of the pen to compliment contributions with the bat)

2.        (SR) John Austin (Velocity has gone up a glove-popping 4 to 5 mph since last season)

3.       (SR) Eric LeBaron (Looks better this year than any year before in the program, according to coach Piraro.)

4.      (FR) D.J. Slaton (Newcomer has impressed early and will get opportunities to pitch)

5.      (SO) Drew Bradshaw (Finished last year with a solid 4.00 ERA in 16 appearances; against the old aluminum)

6.      (SO) David Wayne Russo (Returns for sophomore season looking to establish a role out of the pen.)

7.        (FR) Johnny Melero LHP (Southpaw from Mitty has impressed Piraro after being a long shot going into the fall. )

2011 Projected Lineup

CF Jason Martin (SR) (4-year starter has hit better than .300 in each season with SJSU)

LF Tim Quiery (SO) (Ended last year with a .344 batting average as a freshman)

SS Zack Jones (SO) / (Piraro must find a way to utilize Jones’ versatile talent)

RF Kerry Jenkins (SR) (JC transfer from Chabot hit four homeruns a year ago and added 24 RBI.)

DH Craig Hertler (SR) (Hit .322 in 09’ but saw average drop to .217 in 2010.)

1B Danny Stienstra (SR) / (Hit .337 as a sophomore on the 41-win SJSU team in 2009; average slipped to .265 in 2010)

C Michael Di Rocco (JR) (Transfer from nearby Ohlone college will start immediately but needs to stay healthy.) 

3B Tyler Christian (SO) (Trying to establish himself as a starter in 2011; Natov will keep the competition interesting.)

2B Michael Reiling (JR) (Versatile infielder can play anywhere and is a reliable contact hitter.)

Off the bench:

1B Matt Carroll (FR) (6-foot-6 inch first basemen has most “pure power” on team.)

IF Nick Borg (SR) (Can play multiple infield positions and will likely start when Jones is scheduled to pitch.)

OF Tommy Gale (SR) (Hit .294 in 68 at-bats in 2009; can play anywhere in the outfield)

OF Andrew Rodriguez (SO) (Speedy outfielder will be a small ball instrument of Piraro’s.)

C/1B Anthony Bona (JR) (Will be counted on to keep DiRocco fresh and contribute with the stick off the bench.)

3B Caleb Natov (FR) (Newcomer has impressed Piraro and will get chances to prove himself; hit .450 as a HS senior)

C Trevin Craig (FR) (Freshman gives Piraro much needed depth at catcher position.)

San Jose State Baseball Preview: Offense

In 2009, the Spartan baseball team ended a historic season that witnessed a 41 win season, a 9-0 start and the highest team batting average (.339) in school history.

The NCAA tournament committee was not impressed come selection day.

SJSU was left at home despite its 41-20 overall record and Western Athletic Conference championship just a year after Fresno State had won the national title out of the WAC.

Only 13 teams in the field of 64 that qualified for the 2009 tournament had more wins than the Spartan’s 41. Fifty-one of the teams that were included in the bracket had less wins than the absent Spartans.

 Utah qualified that year with a 26-29 record after an automatic bid and Baylor’s 29-24 mark was apparently enough to deserve the nod over the Spartans.

“I’m a believer that any experience is good for you,” head coach Sam Piraro said. “Adversity doesn’t knock us out of the box; we learn something from going through it.”

A driving force behind the 41 win season was the relentless offensive assault that shattered the school’s record for team batting average set in 1993.

The old mark of .319 set in 1993 was eclipsed by the 09’ Spartans by 20 percentage points and featured a lineup crowded with gaudy batting averages.

While most of the pitching that contributed to the WAC championship season has departed, there are still a number of bats on the 2011 roster who were instrumental to the success of the 09’ team.

“I have had about seven or eight no brainer NCAA tournament teams in my years here,” Piraro said. “After Fresno’s championship season, their coach (Mike Batesole) called me and told me that our group in 2009 was just as good if not better than the team’s Fresno State had knocked out of the tournament the year before.” 

Perennial baseball powerhouses like Long Beach State, Rice, North Carolina, and finally Georgia all fell to the Bulldogs of Fresno State during their improbable 2008 tournament run.

“Mike isn’t a guy that blows smoke either,” Piraro said. “He wasn’t joking when he said that.”

Cinderella stories weren’t enough to garner the WAC an addition bid in 2009, as Fresno State was granted a birth to the tournament despite having nine fewer wins than SJSU.

“When Fresno State won it all it showed that our conference isn’t as weak as other people think it is,” current centerfielder Jason Martin said. “It kind of hurt not getting selected the next year, I really didn’t understand why.”

Martin returns with that same chip on his shoulder that festered last year during a season in which the Spartans finished with just 23 wins.

“Last year we learned a lot of hard lessons and we were rebuilding,” Martin said. “Our pitching this year will be a lot stronger and our bats are starting to wake up.”

            Martin enters his senior year as the catalyst and table setter of Piraro’s lineup. His .373 batting average led the team a season ago, marking the third straight year that Martin has hit .300 or better while wearing the blue and gold.

            Martin’s success in the leadoff spot has translated into several SJSU school records and is he is quickly approaching more milestones. 

            54 times Martin has been hit by a pitch as a member of the Spartans; bruises that have earned him the top spot in school history in that category. Martin is also third in runs scored (148) and fifth in school history with 225 hits.

            Sophomore Zack Jones will solidify the middle of the order after showing as a freshman that he is not only a weapon on the mound.

            “The ball sounds really different off of his bat,” Piraro said at Bay Area Media Day. “It’s like a cannon shot.”

            Jones finished 2010 at the plate with a .310 batting average, four homeruns and a .529 slugging percentage. His dual-threat ability earned him the 2010 WAC Freshman of the year and notoriety from major league scouts.

            Joining Martin and Jones in the lineup will be fellow seniors Kerry Jenkins and Danny Stienstra who were both contributors with the stick last year.

            Jenkins enters the season as one of two returning Spartans with more than three homeruns a year ago, and will be sandwiched somewhere in the middle of the lineup to utilize his power. 

Jenkins blasted four homeruns and finished with 24 Runs Batted In for the year in 2010 in only 111 at-bats. Now that he has found a place to play every day in the outfield, look for his productivity to go up with increased opportunities.

            Stienstra was a large part of the 41 win team two years ago as he hit .337 as a sophomore playing primarily first base. His average declined a year ago as Stienstra managed to hit just .265 to follow up his sophomore campaign. A bounce back year for Stienstra will give Piraro another tough out in his lineup.

             Added protection in the lineup from comes from senior Craig Hertler and sophomore outfielder Tim Quiery. Quiery hit .344 a year ago in 157 at-bats while Hertler is a versatile defensively player who hit .322 in 2009.

A pair of impressive freshman also brings new life to the 2011 lineup, as Matt Carroll and Caleb Natov have both looked good at the plate and are youngsters Piraro is excited about.

“Carroll probably has the most pure power on the team,” Piraro said. “He gives me the option of going with an all offensive lineup if I choose to.”

Junior college transfer Michael DiRocco will do the majority of the catching duties this season but depth is an issue at the position for Piraro.

“I think catcher is kind of like the quarterback position in football,” Piraro said at Bay Area Media Day. “You’re only as good as your backup.”

Junior Anthony Bona and freshman Trevin Craig are the only other catchers listed on the Spartans’ roster going into the season.

“Behind DiRocco, we are inexperienced,” Piraro said. “I am going to have to speed up the learning curve of the other guys and keep him (DiRocco) healthy.”

Infielders Tyler Christian and Michael Reiling round out the lineup and are both looking to find their role with increased playing time in 2011.

“Were still competing for positions in the infield,” Piaro said.”

Reiling had 12 RBI a year ago and hit .615 with a runner at third and less than two outs. Christian finished with two homeruns a year ago, primarily as a pinch-hitter. 

Piraro’s returns experience and talent up and down the lineup in 2011 to compliment the crop of promising freshman.

Unlike last year, the bats won’t have to do all the work as the Spartans have a formidable rotation and deep bullpen that will take the pressure off of the lineup.