Wins are a precious commodity late in the Western Athletic Conference baseball season, and road wins are even more cherished. So San Diego State’s 7-5 victory over San Jose State at Municipal Stadium in San Jose on Saturday was something to get excited about.
“It’s getting late in the season and we need every win we get,” Aztec catcher Jason Phillips said. “We are very happy getting a win up here.”
The win earned the Aztecs (31-16-1; 13-10 WAC) a split in the first two games of the series against the Western Division leading Spartans.
“This wasn’t the easiest place to play; it was kind of a zoo,” head coach Jim Dietz said. “It was dusty and dirty and really the worst conditions we’ve played all season.”
The playing conditions on Saturday were just fine for SDSU starting pitcher Chad Wanders (7-3), who pitched into the ninth inning to earn the the win. Wanders pitched eight-plus innings, allowing 10 hits, one walk and four earned runs, while striking out three.
“Chad was throwing strikes the whole game,” Phillips said. “But it seemed like (SJSU) came out a little flat. The game went by real fast and didn’t really get going until the seventh inning.”
The Aztecs already had a 4-1 lead heading into the seventh inning when SDSU right fielder Andy Bevins broke the game open with a three-run home run off Spartans starting pitcher Javier Pamus (5-4).
SJSU (33-18; 17-9 WAC) chipped away at the Aztecs’ lead with a run in the eighth on a solo home run by Robert Berns. The Spartans were finally able to knock Wanders out of the game, scoring three runs in the ninth.
On came closer Jeff Dufek, who got the final three outs to earn his seventh save of the season. His seven saves tie him with four others for the third most saves in a single season.
“We were able to get some runs early,” Dietz said. “We got some solid starting pitching from Wanders and Dufek did a good job to close out the game.”
On Friday, the Spartans used a six-run fourth inning and and a ruckus crowd to beat SDSU 9-4.
Brian Scott (6-3) started on the mound for SDSU and struggled, hitting four SJSU batters in seven innings of work. He also allowed 12 hits, walked two, threw a wild pitch and gave up eight earned runs.
“He didn’t have total control of all of his pitches,” Phillips said. “He hit more guys then he normally does and was a little more wild than normal.
“The fans jumped on him, the umpire didn’t give him any close calls and it snowballed from there.”
Spartans first baseman Berns had the big blow in the fourth inning, hitting a two-run home run off Scott.
SJSU starting pitcher Jason Jimenez (5-3) was too much for the Aztecs to handle. He got the complete game victory, allowing nine hits, three walks, four earned runs and struck out 14 SDSU batters.
“(Jimenez) pitched a good, good game,” Dietz said. “He was very tough on our hitters all night.”
The only person to get to Jimenez was Bevins, who drove in all four Aztec runs. He belted a three-run home run in the third and doubled in the other run in the fifth.
