April 25, 2000
San Diego - In a game that had something for everyone including a triple play and suicide squeeze, the University of San Diego defeated San Diego State, 3-1, in a game played at Cunningham Stadium on the USD campus Tuesday afternoon. The loss ended the Aztecs' five-game win streak and dropped them to 25-23 on the year as they prepare for an important Mountain West Conference series at Air Force this coming weekend, The Toreros improved their record to 28-22-1.
The game begin quietly with the first five batters in the opening inning striking out. The Toreros then staged a rally with two out in the first, getting men on second and third with two out. But lead runner Marty Hayes was thrown out at the plate on David Wright's single to keep the game scoreless.
SDSU came back in the second to put men on first and third, but could not score. The Toreros put together another threat in the bottom of that inning with runners at first and second and no outs. With both runners breaking, designated hitter A.C Assael hit a liner to Aztec first baseman Ben Leuthard who stepped on the bag and threw to shortstop Taber Lee at second to complete the triple play.
The game remained deadlocked until the seventh when Brandon Rogers' two-out single scored Matt Ricardy and gave the Aztecs the lead. However, that advantage was short-lived as a two-out passed ball in the bottom of the seventh allowed USD's Alan Leuthard to score the tying run.
With junior Jon Minter on the mound for SDSU in the eighth, the Toreros got their first two hitters aboard on a single and hit batter. After Mike Garber came on in relief of Minter, a sacrifice bunt by Wright advanced the runners 90 feet. That brought up pinch hitter Sean Skinner who [put down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to bring in the inning run. USD added an insurance marker on a single by Josh Harris.
Three USD pitchers combined to limit San Diego State to five hits on the day with freshman Jared Hemus getting credit for his second win of the season. Minter (2-1) took the loss for SDSU.
The Aztecs begin their three-game series in Colorado Springs on Friday hoping to make up ground on first-pace New Mexico whom they trail by three games with nine league contests remaining. Friday's game against Air Force is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.
U. of San Diego 3, San Diego State 1SDSU 000 000 100 - 1 5 5USD 000 000 12x - 3 8 2Julianel, Minter (7), Garber (8) and RogersLucy, Barrett (3), Hemus (6) and LeuthardW - Hemus )2-4)L - Minter (2-1)SV - NoneHR - NoneTime - 2:50Att - 312