Wolf Pack baseball rallies past Spartans

The University of Nevada baseball team scored three runs in the top of the ninth to defeat San José State University, 7-4, on Sunday afternoon and won the Mountain West series 2-1 in San Jose.

The Wolf Pack improved to 15-14 on the season and 8-7 in conference play while the Spartans are now 9-23 and 5-10 in conference action.

Trailing 4-3 after seven innings the Pack scored the final four runs of the game. Third baseman Scott Kaplan started the eighth inning with a double and TJ Friedl came off the bench to run. A ground out by second baseman Justin Bridgman moved Friedl to third where he scored on a ground out by shortstop Kyle Hunt to tie the game at four.

Nevada scored three runs on just two hits in the top of the ninth inning to win 7-4. First baseman Austin Byler drew a walk to start the inning, catcher Jordan Devencenzi singled and right fielder Brad Gerig was hit by pitch to load the bases with none out. With pinch hitter Jay Anderson at the plate all three runners advanced on a wild pitch as Byler scored the first run of the inning. Anderson’s sacrifice bunt scored the second run and third baseman Bryce Barger’s single plated the final run of the game.

Closer Adam Whitt (4-3) earned the win after recording his sixth save in game two on Saturday. Whitt did not allow a run in 1.2 innings on the mound. Ross Slaney (0-3) suffered the loss giving up two runs on one hit in two innings of action.

Byler homered in the first inning to get the Pack on the scoreboard but SJSU answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Byler tripled home a run in the third inning and he later scored to make it 3-1 Nevada.

SJSU scored twice in the fourth inning to knot the score at three. Catcher Kyle Gallegos broke the tie with an RBI single in the sixth to put the Spartans up 4-3 before Nevada scored the next four runs to win 7-4.

Byler was perfect at the plate in three at bats and walked in his fourth appearance. He hit his fourth home run, fourth triple, scored three times, drove in two and was a double shy of hitting for the cycle. Left fielder Kewby Meyer collected two hits and scored a run.

Gallegos was one of four SJSU hitters that had two hits in the game and tied for game-high honors with two RBI.

Nevada returned to action on Tuesday against Santa Clara. Results were not available at press time.