SAN JOSE, Calif. — Aaron Pleschner scored on Kellen Strahm’s ground ball in the 10th inning to giving San José State a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over New Mexico, striking a series dent in UNM’s Mountain West Tournament hopes.
The loss by UNM keeps the Lobos 2.5 games behind fourth place Air Force, and the Lobos still have a three-game set at the Academy in May. UNM and San José State flip-flopped position in the standings.
The winning run came about after Malachi Emond opened the inning with his fourth strikeout of the game. Pleschner lined a one-out single to left, and then Brett Bautista singled off the glove of a diving Justin Watari at second, allowing Plschner to third. With the infield in, Pleschner fouled off three two-strike pitches before hitting a ball to Watari’s left. The second baseman dove, got to his knees and threw home, but the ball short hopped Robby Campillo, who got the tag down, but the ball never got into his glove, giving the Spartans the win.
Both teams had golden opportunities to take the lead late. In the bottom of the eighth, the Spartans put the go-ahead run on second with one out, and another runner on first off Drew Gillespie. UNM switched to Malachi Emond and Emond, who entered with a 12.5 strikeouts-per-nine ratio struck out two batters. In the top of the ninth, Aktins singled and all hands were safe when Atkins raced to second ahead of the throw on Justin Watari’s sacrifice bunt. However, Hayden Schilling hit into a double play, and pinch hitter Daniel Zakosek, hitting in Mang’s original spot, struck out on a 3-2 pitch.
The Lobos did all their early damage in the third inning, one in which they knocked out starter Josh Goldberg. Nick Atkins, playing for the injured Garrett Gouldsmith, singled to right to open the frame. After a strikeout, Hayden Schilling doubled home Atkins to put UNM on the board. Jared Mang then unloaded a long, high-arching home run to left field that cleared the netting beyond the wall.
That home run made it 3-0, and after Connor Mang singled, Goldberg was replaced, but UNM kept at it. Danny Collier, starting for the first time in eight games, walked, and he went to second and Mang scored on Robby Campillo’s hit. After a fielder’s choice for the second out, UNM literally stole a run as Sikes stole second and Collier stole home to make it 5-0.
Justin Slaten cruised through the first three innings, allowing just a single. San José State touched him for a single run in the fourth on a Johnny Mendoza single, and then the Spartans got two more in the fifth. An RBI double by Kellen Strahm and an RBI single by Chris Williams brought the Spartans closer at 5-3.
That ended the night for Slaten, giving way to Brian Coffey, but the Spartans tied it off him in the sixth. Aaron Pleschner loops a shallow fly to right that hurt in more ways than one. Jared Mang dove for it, but the ball ticked his glove and rolled away for a double to make it 5-4, and Mang was hurt and gave way to Chris Dunn. Two batters later a perfect suicide squeeze by Strahm tied it at 5-5.
NOTE: Schilling’s third inning double extended his on base streak to 22 games … Collier’s last start was April 13 against Nevada, and his last game was a pinch-hitting appearance on April 22.
Lobos Lose 6-5 to SJSU in Extras
