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
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