Feb. 13, 2000
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State baseball team picked up its third win over a nationally-ranked team when the Aztecs handed No. 13 Tulane an 8-5 loss in New Orleans on Sunday.
Trailing, 4-3 after eight innings, SDSU (6-5 overall) rallied to score five runs in the ninth and hand the Green Wave (2-1 overall) its first defeat of the year.
The ninth started with Aztec catcher Ben Rosenthal hitting a double to left field. After pinch hitter Garrett Cook grounded out to short, center fielder Sean Pierce tied the game when he drove in Rosenthal with a single to center. Left fielder Andy Litteral then singled to right, advancing Pierce to third. With runners on the corners and one out, second baseman Matt Ricardy gave SDSU the lead when he singled to right, scoring Pierce and sending Litteral to third. Right fielder Paul Lockhart gave the Aztecs an insurance run when his sacrifice fly to left scored Litteral. Designated hitter Chad Redfern put the nail in the coffin when he blasted a two-run home run over the right field fence. Redfern's homer was his first of the year.
Tulane closer Brandon Belanger, who kept SDSU in check in the first two games of the series en route to picking up a pair of saves, took the loss, allowing all five Aztec runs in the ninth. Aztec relief ace Rory Shortell picked up his first win of the year by throwing two innings of one-run ball.
Litteral, Ricardy and Rosenthal had two hits apiece to lead the SDSU offensive charge, while relievers John Skinner, Royce Ring, Jeremy Cook, Marcos Mendoza and Shortell combined to allow only two runs (only one of which was earned) in 5 2/3 innings of work after starter Mike Garber yielded three runs in 3 1/3 innings.
The Aztecs return to action when they host Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. on Thursday in opening day action at the San Diego Classic. Full day passes to the classic are available at six dollars for adults and three dollars for youths, seniors, military and SDSU faculty and staff. Aztec students are admitted free of charge. Tickets can be picked up on game day at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Final
San Diego State - 8
No. 13 Tulane - 5
SDSU 010 001 015 - 8 11 3Tulane 120 010 001 - 5 9 2
Garber, Skinner (4), Ring (5), J. Cook (7), Mendoza (7), Shortell (8) and Rosenthal
O'Gara, Foster (7), Belanger (8) and Herz
WP - Shortell (1-0)
LP - Belanger (0-1)
SV - none
HR - SDSU: Redfern (1)
Att. 1,069