SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — A six-run fifth inning and a three-run homer from Jayden Garrison in the eighth powered the San Francisco Dons to a 9-3 victory over the San Jose State Spartans in a nonconference baseball game Sunday evening at Dante Benedetti Diamond at Max Ulrich Field.

The win gave San Francisco (5-2) the series victory, two games to one, after the teams split the first two contests in San Jose. The Spartans fell to 3-4.

The game’s decisive moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning, erasing a 3-0 San Jose State lead. The Dons, held to just one hit through the first four innings by Spartans starter Dylan Smith, erupted for six runs on five hits while sending 11 batters to the plate.

Smith, who had pitched four scoreless innings, opened the frame by allowing a single to Davis and a walk to JA Lewis. A bunt single by Vasell loaded the bases and ended Smith’s outing. Reliever Boyle was greeted by an RBI single from Harmon, scoring Davis. After a hit-by-pitch forced in another run, Garrison’s sacrifice fly brought home the third. Walks to Rogers and a two-run single from Esquivel capped the offensive outburst, turning a three-run deficit into a 6-3 San Francisco advantage.

The Dons’ bullpen secured the lead, with four relievers combining for 4 2/3 scoreless innings after starter Gauge Lockhart allowed three runs on three hits over 4 1/3 innings. Alan Gonzalez, Thomas Gonzales, Nick Bacura and Hunter Holzemer limited San Jose State to just two hits the rest of the way.

San Francisco added insurance in the eighth. After Vasell was hit by a pitch and Landry walked, Garrison launched a three-run homer to left field off reliever Marchetti, sealing the 9-3 final.

San Jose State built its early lead with two runs in the fifth. Mendoza walked, advanced to third on a double by Giannini and scored on Caballero’s sacrifice fly. Giannini then came home on a double by Fernandes. The Spartans added an unearned run in the seventh when Fernandes walked, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a single by Rowles.

Peter Herrick provided a bright spot for the Spartans’ pitching staff, entering in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and one out. He escaped further damage and finished with 1 1/3 hitless innings of relief.

The Dons outhit the Spartans 9-6. San Francisco’s Esquivel went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while Garrison drove in three runs on his eighth-inning homer. For San Jose State, Rowles had two hits and an RBI.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose ELO system gave San Jose State a 51.7 percent probability to win, and whose simulator predicted a 7-5 San Francisco victory.

San Jose State opens a four-game home-and-home series with Saint Mary’s on Thursday in Moraga. San Francisco begins a four-game home set against California Baptist on Thursday.