BASEBALL TOPPED BY ANOTHER LATE RALLY FROM SAN JOSE STATE

4/21/2007

SAN JOSE, Calif. — For the second straight day, San Jose State rallied late to defeat Sacramento State. The Spartans broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the seventh inning and went on to win 5-1 at Municipal Stadium.

The win improved San Jose State to 24-16 overall and 5-6 in WAC games. The Hornets dropped to 10-29 overall and 5-12 in league play.

The game, which was played in a speedy 2 hours and 15 minutes, was a pitchers duel through the opening six innings. Hornet freshman Trevor York and SJSU’s Steven Vidal each posted goose eggs for the first three innings.

The Spartans scored the game’s first run in the fourth innings behind three singles. Sacramento State squelched the rally when freshman center fielder Tim Wheeler threw a strike to Travis Kirkman at the plate, who chased the runner back to third for the third out of the inning.

The Hornets tied the game in the top half of the seventh. With two outs, Montana Dye singled down the left field line to score Gabe Jacobo and tie the game, 1-1.

San Jose State answered back with four runs during a two-out flurry. A pair of infield hits and a Hornet error scored the first run and Donato Giovanatto delivered a three-run double to plate the final runs of the game.

The inning ruined one of York’s best performances of the season. The freshman limited San Jose State to just one run and five hits through the first six innings before the damage was done in the seventh. He gave way to Tyler Axelrod, who recorded the final four outs of the game without allowing a run.

Vidal earned the win with a complete-game one-run effort.

Junior David Flores led all players in the game with three hits. Flores finished the game 3-for-4 including a double. Jacobo, Wheeler, Dye and Gary Johnson also added hits.

The three-game series will conclude on Sunday, weather permitting (rain is predicted throughout the day in San Jose). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.