April 11, 2000
SAN DIEGO - Dramatic home runs from shortstop Edgar Gonzalez and second baseman Matt Ricardy were not enough to lead the San Diego State baseball team to its first victory over No. 19 USC in nine tries, as the Trojans edged the Aztecs, 6-4 in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
SDSU (20-21 overall, 8-7 Mountain West Conference) trailed for the majority of the game, as USC (24-13 overall, 6-3 Pac-10) scored a run in the first, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-0 lead. However, the Aztecs would get back into the game in the top of the sixth.
With one out in the sixth, Trojan left-hander Ronald Flores walked SDSU center fielder Billy Montgomery. With the speedy Montgomery on first, Aztec left fielder Sean Pierce hit what appeared to be a double-play ball to USC second baseman Josh Self, who bobbled the ball in his haste to initiate the double play. As a result, Montgomery advanced to second and Pierce reached first. With the two speedsters aboard and Paul Lockhart at the plate, SDSU head coach Jim Dietz elected to call a hit and run. with Montgomery on the move, Lockhart banged a single into left, scoring Montgomery from second. Dietz called yet another hit and run with the next batter, Ben Leuthard, at the plate, and once again, it worked. Leuthard singled to right, driving in Pierce and bringing the Aztecs to within one run after six innings.
The score remained, 3-2 through seven innings, but Gonzalez tied the game with a solo shot to right-center field to lead off the eighth. Ricardy then gave SDSU the lead when he blasted a solo shot over the right-center field fence with two outs in the top of the ninth and an 0-2 count.
However, USC would answer, getting a leadoff home run from center fielder Brian Barre in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at four. With one out and the score deadlocked, Trojan left fielder Anthony Lunetta walked, bringing up third baseman Justin Gemoll. Gemoll, who had hit a home run in five of his last six games, made it six of his last seven when he blasted the game-winning two-run home run over the left field fence.
Nine different Aztec pitchers saw action in the contest, with junior John Skinner taking the loss. USC's Chad Clark threw 1 1/3 innings in relief to pick up the win.
The Aztecs will look to snap their five-game losing skid when they travel to Salt Lake City for a three game series with Mountain West Conference foe Utah. The series begins at noon on Thursday.
No. 19 USC - 6, SDSU - 4
SDSU 000 002 011 - 4 7 1USC 100 110 003 - 6 13 1
Garber, Tolen (2), Mendoza (3), Jon Minter (4), Ring (5), Dunwell (6), Eigenhuis (7), Halpern (8), Skinner (9) and Rogers. Flores, Clark (8) and Craig
Win - Clark (1-0)Loss - Skinner (1-6)Save - None
2B - Davidson, Lunetta, PersellHR - Gonzalez (4), Ricardy (2), Barre (4), Gemoll (12)
Attendance - 205