Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Chad Ziemendorf Spartan baseball head coach Sam Piraro shows his fury and is ejected by multiple umpires after disagreeing with their call.

Sam Piraro threw his hat down to the ground, screamed at the umpires and was immediately thrown out of the game after a questionable call. The game turned out to be just as frustrating for the rest of the Spartans.

Kellen Kiilsgaard's RBI single in the 13th inning proved to be the difference in Stanford's 6-5 win over SJSU at Municipal Stadium.

The Spartans (35-18) lost to the Cardinal in a nonconference game for the second time in eight days.

"It's very disappointing, especially when you have several opportunities," said Tom Kunis, SJSU's associate head coach. "We had runners in scoring position in the ninth, 10th and 11th and didn't convert. … A single scores it and the game's over."

With the Spartans down 4-2 in the seventh, Stanford reliever Dan Sandbrink appeared to have errantly stepped off the rubber while attempting a pick off at second, and his throw stumbled over to the shortstop far off the bag.

"What happened was, the guy tried to run a pick with the shortstop at second base when the shortstop wasn't at second base, … which is a balk," Kunis said.

Piraro came out to argue the no-balk call, and Stanford coach Mark Marquess followed suit, arguing profusely that no balk was committed.

After what seemed like an eternity, the umpires decided not to overturn their call, leading to Piraro's ejection.

Following the long hiatus, Jason Martin came up to the plate and hit a blooper to right field. Stanford outfielder Kiilsgaard dove for the ball, dropped it, and the Spartans scored two runs to tie the game at four runs apiece in the top of the seventh.

"I wasn't trying to do too much," Martin said. "I was trying to hit a ground ball to second base. … I was just trying to get a run in. Luckily, I got two in."

The Cardinal rallied back with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Kiilsgaard's RBI single through the right side of the infield scored the go-ahead run, putting the Spartans on the brink of defeat.

But the Spartans tied the game. Again.

With two outs and nobody on, Martin struck out for what could have been the last out of the game. But Stanford catcher Zach Jones dropped the ball, and Martin made it safely to first base.

Continued...

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