February 21, 1999
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State head baseball coach Jim Dietz became one of only seven active collegiate coaches to reach the 1,100-win mark on Saturday when his Aztecs defeated No. 15 Arizona, 12-9 in 10 innings at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Wildcats (14-3) jumped on SDSU (7-6) early, scoring two first-inning runs. Arizona starter Josh Pearce dominated the Aztec bats through the first four innings, but SDSU exploded in the fifth, scoring five runs. Junior right fielder Paul Lockhart delivered the big blow in the inning with a two-run double, which extended his hitting streak to 20 games.
The Aztec lead was short-lived, however, as the Wildcats responded with three runs of their own to tie the game at five. Arizona first baseman Ernie Durazo highlighted his four-hit night with a two-run home run off SDSU right-hander David Caron in the inning.
With the score deadlocked at five, the Wildcats (who were the designated home team, as the game was part of the ARCO San Diego Collegiate Baseball Classic), tacked on three more in the bottom of the seventh when left fielder Kenny Huff tripled home catcher Dennis Anderson. Huff went on to score when designated hitter Ben Diggins hit a grounder to Aztec shortstop Edgar Gonzalez, who was unable to throw Huff out at the plate. U of A second baseman Andy Juday doubled home Diggins, and Arizona seemed to be in the driver's seat.
Trailing 8-5 in the top of the ninth, SDSU roared back behind a 2-RBI double by center fielder Billy Montgomery. Aztec left fielder Bobby Womack singled in Montgomery to tie the game at eight.
After holding the Wildcats scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, SDSU capitalized on an error by Arizona third baseman Erik Torres with two outs in the 10th inning and went on to score four runs.
The Wildcats responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the 10th, but it would not be enough, as the Aztecs held on to win, 12-9.