San Jose, Calif. - Esteban Guzman struck out a career-high 13 batters as the San Jose State Spartans took the second game of a doubleheader 4-3 against the No. 9 Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon in Municipal Stadium.  Fresno State won the opener 5-1.
 
The split leaves the Spartans at 21-10 overall, 2-1 in Western Athletic Conference play.  San Jose State is now 4-2 against top-10 ranked opponents this season.  Fresno State is 21-5, 1-2 in league action.  The Spartans have taken two of the first three games in this four-game series.
 
Guzman (4-1) tossed seven innings and scattered seven hits, giving up one run to earn the win.  It tied the longest outing of his career and he had at least one strike out every inning he worked.  In four innings he struck out two and in the fifth struck out the side.
 
"Today I was getting guys out with both my slider and change-up," Guzman said.  "My goal coming into the game was to get strike one; by that I mean to get ahead of the batters.  I was able to do that, which allowed me to work down, work away and keep painting (the corner of the plate).  I wasn't getting too cute with my pitches, but it allowed me to go to my off-speed pitches more and they couldn't lay off them."
 
The Spartans offense put single runs on the board in the second and fourth innings.  In the second Craig Hertler singled home a run to give San Jose a 1-0 lead.  The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the third with an RBI double from Danny Muno.  In the top fourth Zack Jones doubled home a run to push San Jose State back in front 2-1.
 
In the Spartans seventh, Jason Martin reach base on a fielder's choice.  With two outs and the runner on first the stage was set for Anthony Bona.  Bona hammered a shot down the left field line and out of Municipal Stadium to give the San Jose State a 4-1 lead.
 
"(The count) got to 2-1 and I was looking to drive the ball, whether the pitch was outside or inside," Bona said.  "I got a ball that was left up over the plate and I turned on it.  It's my first home run and it feels pretty good."
 
In the eighth Guzman made way for Jones who set the Bulldogs down; one-two-three.  In the ninth Jones sandwiched two walks around a strike out to open the inning.  Fresno State got an RBI double and sac fly to cut the lead to 4-3 which would be the final score.  Despite the two runs Jones earned his sixth save of the season.
 
"Esteban deserves all the credit for game two," head coach Sam Piraro said.  "He came out, was dominant and gave us a chance to get our bearings.  He was sharp and neutralized the middle of their order. 
 
"Anthony's hit was very big and it turned out to be the game winner.  I was really happy for him because earlier in the game he was up there with the bases loaded and swung at ball four.  He was really upset with himself, but for him to come back and get that home run was uplifting for him as well as the team."

FRESNO STATE TAKES GAME ONE
 
In the first game of the day, Fresno State scored a run in the first inning and two in the second to take a quick 3-0 lead.  That was the end of the day for Spartans starter Blake McFarland (4-1), who would be tagged with the loss.
 
San Jose State scored its lone run in the second.  After successive singles to open the inning, Kerry Jenkins reached base on an error by the Bulldogs third baseman scoring the run from third base.
 
Fresno State added single runs in the fifth and sixth to push their advantage to 5-1 in the seven inning game.  That was the final score as Josh Poytress went the distance for Fresno State and earned his third win of the season after allowing six hits and a run.  Garrett Weber led the Bulldogs with two RBI.
 
"Game one was a combination of things," Piraro said.  "Fresno State did what we were trying to avoid, which was get off to a fast start.  We were a little flat coming out and we won't play well if we do that.  They were sharp and they made us pay for it."

The series wraps up on Sunday with a single game.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Municipal Stadium.

 
#9 Fresno State 5, San Jose State 1 (Apr 09, 2011 at San Jose, Calif.) (Game 1)
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Fresno State........ 120 011 0 -  5  9  1      (21-4, 1-1 WAC)
San Jose State...... 010 000 0 -  1  6  1      (20-10, 1-1 WAC)
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Pitchers: Fresno State - Poytress, Josh and Wynns, Austin. San Jose State - McFarland, Blake;
Austin, John(3); Brashaw, Drew(7) and DiRocco, Michael; Bona, Anthony.
Win-Poytress, Josh(3-0)  Loss-McFarland, Blake(4-1)  T-1:56  A-836
Weather: Sunny

San Jose State 4, #9 Fresno State 3 (Apr 09, 2011 at San Jose, Calif.) (Game 2)
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Fresno State........ 001 000 002  -  3  8  0      (21-5, 1-2 WAC)
San Jose State...... 010 100 20X  -  4  8  0      (21-10, 2-1 WAC)
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Pitchers: Fresno State - Haley, Justin; Garrison, Taylor(3) and Wynns, Austin. San Jose State -
Guzman, Esteban; Jones, Zach(8) and Bona, Anthony; DiRocco, Michael.
Win-Guzman, Esteban(4-1)  Save-Jones, Zach(6)  Loss-Garrison, Taylor(2-1)  T-2:50  A-836
HR SJSU - Bona, Anthony (1).