Senior Zach Samuels allowed just two earned runs in 5.1 innings, but UCSB’s offense was shutdown by a pair of San Jose State pitchers as the visiting Spartans defeated the Gauchos 5-2 on Saturday afternoon.
Samuels, making his second start of the season, was solid as he recorded his second longest appearance of the season. The San Jose, Calif., native allowed six hits, three runs – just two earned – while striking out two and walking three.
San Jose State got on the board with one run in the third inning on consecutive singles by Michael Reiling, Kyle Bellows, and Anthony Bona. The Spartans added a run in the fifth when Michael Drake walked and was sacrificed to second by Reiling. After a passed ball, Drake came home on a single by Jason Martin.
The Gauchos tied the score in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, senior designated hitterRobby Cummings walked and sophomore right fielder Mark Haddow walloped a long home run to dead center field.
The Spartans broke the tie in the top of the sixth when Jacob Bruns doubled with one out, moved to third on a fly ball to Brian Gump in center, and then scored on an error. SeniorPatrick McIntyre relieved Samuels after the double by Bruns, but Samels was credited with allowing the unearned tie-breaking run.
San Jose added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh on two hits.
UCSB had trouble solving Spartan pitchers Max Peterson and Ryan Shopshire. Peterson started and allowed just four hits and a pair of runs over 5.0 innings. He recorded six strikeouts and a pair of walks. Shopshire was even sharper, allowing just two hits while striking out four and walking two in 4.0 innings. He earned his first save of the season.
Offensively, no Gaucho had more than one hit. Bona was a perfect 4-for-4 for the Spartans.
UCSB is now 21-11 on the year while SJSU improves to 25-11.
The teams will play the final game of the three game series on Sunday, April 19 at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium beginning at 1:00 p.m.
