Box Score

Junior Cassidy Brown belted his first career home run, a two-run shot in the eighth inning to tie the game at 4-4, but San Jose State (3-4) responded with four runs in the ninth en route to defeating LMU (2-4) by a count of 8-5 on Saturday from Municipal Stadium in San Jose, Calif. to even a three-game series between the two teams.

Brown finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.

The Spartans managed the eight runs on 16 hits on Saturday, including a 3-for-5 day with a double and two RBI from Brett Bautista. Josh Nashed, who took the loss on the mound on Friday night, also drove in a pair, while leadoff man Hunter Tidwell went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. San Jose State finished the game with five extra-base hits, including a triple from Ozzy Braff as part of a 2-for-4 day.

LMU starter Cory Abbott was in line for a loss before Brown's game-tying home run in the eighth. The right-handed sophomore dealt 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and one walk before taking a no decision. Junior Blake Redman threw a pair of scoreless innings, but he ran into trouble in the eighth before ultimately being tagged with two runs on four hits as he was charged with his first loss.

Logan Handzlik contributed a quality start for San Jose State, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing just two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out a pair, but he ultimately did not factor in the decision. Josh Goldberg, who allowed Brown's two-run homer, benefitted from SJSU's offensive push in its last at bat, earning the victory.

Bautista's RBI-double put the Spartans on the board first in the first inning, as LMU never led in the game. The lead stretched to 4-0 in the second as SJSU plated three runs on four hits, including a two-RBI single from Nashed.

The Lions plated single runs in the third and seventh to cut the deficit in half, with Austin Miller and Ted Boeke posting RBI. Boeke finished the game 1-for-4 and has now hit safely in five straight games dating back to 2015.

Despite allowing the four-run eighth, LMU did not surrender without a fight in the ninth, scratching its final run across in the final frame. Spartan reliever Graham Gomez struck out Boeke to start the inning, but an error charged to shortstop Aaron Pleschner allowed Joe Christian to reach. Pinch-hitter Jimmy Hill made the error count two batters later, belting a two-out RBI-double off the wall in centerfield to drive home Christian from first. Gomez did not allow the inning to go any further from there, striking out Miller to end the game and seal the victory.

The Lions and Spartans will play a decisive game three tomorrow at 1 p.m.