Courtesy: San Jose State Athletics Matt Winck threw two innings of shutout baseball in relief of starter Branden Dewing.

Santa Barbara, Calif. – Behind six strong innings from starter Branden Dewing and a three-run home run by Donato Giovanatto in the sixth inning, San Jose State University defeated UC Santa Barbara, 6-2, in the opener of a three-game non-conference baseball series at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on Friday, February 10.

With the win, the Spartans even their record at 2-2 on the young season, while UC Santa Barbara of the Big West Conference falls to 1-1.

DEWING TOUGH AGAIN

Dewing (2-0), a senior left-hander, won his second straight start to begin the 2006 season, giving up nine hits, two runs and one walk in 6.0 innings. Last week’s Western Athletic Conference “Pitcher of the Week,” struck out two.

Dewing had tossed a four-hit shutout, the second clean sheet of his career, in San Jose State’s 6-0 season-opening home win over Cal Poly on Friday, February 3. His shutout string ended at 10.1 innings to start the season, when the host Gauchos pushed across a single run in the second on a one-out double by Shane Carlson. UCSB scored its only other run in the fourth.

GIOVANATTO PRODUCES FIRST SPARTAN HOME RUN OF 2006

Down 2-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Giovanatto, a junior transfer out of Phoenix College (Ariz.), connected on his first home run as a Spartan with nobody out after fellow juniors Greg Fyfe and Brandon Fromm had reached on a walk and an error, respectively, to begin the frame. Giovanatto made his first appearance and first start in a San Jose State uniform in the previous game. Another junior, Aaron Loewenthal, a newcomer from College of Marin, added the other key hit for the visitors, a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, which made it a 6-2 ballgame.

San Jose State got on the board first, an RBI groundout by Fromm to score junior Ryan Angel, who walked to lead off the game, giving it the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Matt Winck came on for Dewing to throw the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one hit while striking out a pair, with a third senior pitcher, Steve Jones, closing it out by striking out one in a clean ninth.

NEWCOMERS MAKE THEIR MARK

Offensively on the day, six of the seven Spartan hits came from junior newcomers. Giovanatto and Loewenthal accounted for two apiece, and had five RBI between them. Fyfe, Brody Massman and David Pierson had the other SJSU hits. Giovannato and Fyfe each scored twice.

“We played a great defensive game,” said San Jose State head coach Sam Piraro, who’s team was tied for first in the nation in fielding percentage a season ago. “Our outfielders made two or three circus catches. (Rightfielder) Aaron Loewenthal made two outstanding plays out there. We turned a key double play when (UC Santa Barbara) was threatening in the fourth inning. The defense made the plays, but we also had good at-bats, with Giovanatto and Loewenthal’s hits the key ones on the day.”

For UC Santa Barbara, starter Andy Graham (0-1) went 5.2 innings and took the loss, giving up five hits, four runs, three of them earned, and five walks. Carlson and Alden Carrithers each had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Gauchos.

San Jose State and UC Santa Barbara continue their three-game series at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium with single games at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, and Sunday, February 12.

San Jose State (2-2) 100 003 200- 6 7 0
UC Santa Barbara (1-1) 010 100 000- 2 10 1

Dewing, Winck (7), Jones (9) and Massman, Santich-Hughes (8). Graham, Segal (6), Martin (7), Aspegren (7), Wade (7) and McColgan. WP – Dewing (2-0). LP – Graham (0-1). Save – none. HR – Giovanatto (SJSU). 2B – McColgan, Carlson (UCSB). 2 hits – Giovanatto, Loewenthal (SJSU); Carrithers, Carlson (UCSB). 3 RBI – Giovannato (SJSU). 2 RBI – Loewenthal (SJSU). Attendance - 402.