Winners of five straight and nine of 10 on this season-long 13-game homestand, San Jose State jumped into the early lead in the WAC race, improving to 18-9 overall and 1-0 in the league. Louisiana Tech, which opened its conference season with two wins at Hawai’i last weekend, drops to an even 11-11 overall, and 2-1 in WAC play.

Dewing (5-2) was masterful, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out nine Bulldog batters, including the side in the seventh. It was the senior left-hander’s second shutout this season and third of his career, with the first also coming against Louisiana Tech in San Jose. Dewing blanked the Bulldogs, 1-0, on March 25, 2005, in Municipal Stadium. His nine strikeouts Thursday night fell one short of his career high of 10, which came in that previous 1-0 shutout of Louisiana Tech.

BACK-TO-BACK THREE-HIT SHUTOUTS FOR SPARTANS

Adding to the superlatives, the shutout was the third for a Spartan pitcher in 2006, and second in a row, following junior right-hander Loren Moneypenny’s own three-hit shutout this past Sunday afternoon, March 19, 5-0 at Blethen Field against visiting Fresno Pacific University. This is the first time that Spartan pitchers have thrown back-to-back clean sheets since consecutive shutouts of Louisiana Tech, March 25-26, 2005, with Dewing’s effort being followed by a five-hit shutout by Brad Kilby in a 5-0 victory.

Dewing extends his overall scoreless streak to 17.0 innings, while Spartan starters have not allowed a run now over 24.1 innings, which includes six shutout frames by Dewing in his previous start, Saturday against Bethany University. Thursday night marked Dewing’s fourth home start this season in which he did not allow an earned run. His home ERA stands at 0.60, while his overall ERA improves to a still-conference-best 1.22.

“It was one of my better performances of the year,” said Dewing. “I was pleased. I had fun out there, and it’s all about having fun. We played solid all-around as a team.

“We really worked hard in the fall and it’s paying off now,” added Dewing about a pitching staff which has the top ERA in the WAC at 3.44. “I’m just proud of the staff and I can’t give enough credit to our defense.”

CAMPOS GETS TWO HITS, SCORES WINNING RUN

Offensively, senior Raul Campos got his second straight start at third base, and went 2-for-3. He scored what amounted to the winning run, in the fifth inning, coming home on senior second baseman David Pierson’s two-out single. It was a second straight multiple-hit game for Campos.

“The pitching staff has been carrying us a lot, and (David) Pierson came up with a big hit tonight to score me,” said Campos. “I got off to a slow start, but I’m trying to take advantage of my recent opportunities,” he added about going 4-for-7 over his last two games.

The Spartans added an insurance run in the eighth inning when senior centerfielder Sam Hall produced an infield single, also with two outs, to score junior rightfielder Aaron Loewenthal, who himself had singled. Freshman shortstop John Shaffer extended his current team-best hit streak to eight games with a leadoff single in the fifth.

For Louisiana Tech, freshman right-hander Luke Burnett (2-3) took the loss, allowing five hits, one run and three walks in five-plus innings of work before giving way to Andrew Alsup, last week’s WAC “Pitcher of the Week,” for the final three frames. Freshman rightfielder Jericho Jones, Saturday’s projected starter on the mound, went 2-for-4 with a double, with third baseman Ryan Hamilton registering the only other Bulldog hit, a second-inning double.

SERIES CONTINUES FRIDAY NIGHT

San Jose State and Louisiana Tech continue this three-game series on Friday night, March 24. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at San Jose Municipal Stadium. Moneypenny (1-2, 4.20 ERA) is expected to go for the Spartans, while the projected Bulldog starter is senior right-hander Matt Lacy (2-1, 5.75). The game can be heard on KSJS (90.5 FM) and through ksjs.org for those unable to attend.

Louisiana Tech (11-11, 2-1) 000 000 000 -- 0 3 0
San Jose State (18-9, 1-0) 000 010 01X -- 2 9 0

Burnett, Alsup (6) and Boyce. Branden Dewing and Brody Massman. WP – Branden Dewing (5-2). LP – Burnett (2-3). Save – None. 2B – Jones, Hamilton (LTU). 2 hits – Jones (LTU); Raul Campos (SJSU). Attendance - 322.