The Seattle University baseball team exploded for five runs in the first inning of the first game of a doubleheader against San Jose State, winning that contest, 9-4, before dropping the second game of the twinbill to the Spartans, 2-1, Friday at Municipal Stadium.
Trent Oleszczuk (Beaverton, Ore.) led off the day with an infield single and scored on a double by Ryan Somers (Sammamish, Wash.). Bryndon Ecklund (Elma, Wash.) drove in Somers with a single and advanced to third on a single by Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.). Doug Kincaid (Portland, Ore.) doubled down the left field line to score Ecklund, and Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) followed with a single up the middle that brought in both Olson and Kincaid to give the Redhawks a 5-0 lead.
The Redhawks added another run in the second when Marcelino Morales (Pasco, Wash.) singled, stole second base, and scored on a double by Oleszczuk. After San Jose State scored two runs in the third inning, Seattle U extended its lead again in the fifth, as Kincaid doubled and scored on a single by Newton, and Morales sent a double into right field that brought in both Newton and Nick Latta (Tacoma, Wash.).
San Jose State added single runs in the bottom of the fifth and eighth innings, but was unable to earn many hits off Seattle U starter Brandon Kizer (Marysville, Wash.), as he allowed just two hits and three walks in seven innings of work to pick up his third victory of the season. Sean Martin took the loss for the Spartans, giving up 13 hits and nine runs in 4 1/3 innings on the mound.
Seattle U seemed to maintain its offensive output at the start of the second game, as Oleszczuk doubled, Somers walked, and Olson singled to load the bases with nobody out in the top of the first inning. Ecklund drove in Oleszczuk by reaching on a fielder's choice, but Somers was thrown out at home attempting a double steal, and the Redhawks only earned one run in the inning.
San Jose State (10-11) answered in the bottom of the first with one run to tie the game, and the score remained a 1-1 tie until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Nick Schulz drove in Michael Reiling with a double for the eventual game-winning run.
Grant Gunning (Snohomish, Wash.) pitched a solid game for Seattle U, allowing just two hits, four walks, and two runs in 6 1/3 innings of work, but he ended up with the loss. Mike Aldrete earned the victory for the Spartans, giving up only two hits in three innings of relief work, plus he struck out four Redhawk batters.
Seattle University (11-9) is scheduled to play two more games against San Jose State over the weekend, with the schedule right now calling for one game Saturday and one game Sunday.