April 28, 2000
San Diego - cAir Force built an 11-0 lead after four innings and held on to defeat San Diego State, 11-9, in a game played at Falcon Field in Colorado Springs on Friday.
The win improved the Falcons to 20-24 on the season, 5-15 in Mountain Wets Conference play. SDSU fell to 25-24 overall and 13-9 in league as it remained in second place a game ahead of Brigham Young.
Freshman starter Rory Shortell was unable to get out of the first inning, allowing four runs on four hits and a pair of walks as he suffered his fourth loss of the season. Junior lefty Mike Garber fared no better, giving up six runs on eight hits over his three innings of work.
After getting behind early, the Aztecs began to mount a comeback against Air Force Starter Matt Kaercher with five runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by Paul Lockhart's two-run homer. It was Lockhart's 10 of the season and the 27th of his career, breaking the old SDSU mark of 26 held by Travis Lee.
SDSU struck for four more runs in the eighth, a rally that was capped off by a two-run homer by catcher Brandon Rogers. However, Falcon reliever Kiwedin Cornell came on to retire close out the inning and retire the Aztecs in order in the ninth to pick up his first save of the year. Kaercher (6-5) was credited with the victory.
Lockhart, Darrell Bowles and Garrett Cook had two hits apiece for the Aztecs. However, the only extra base hits recorded by SDSU batters were the two home runs.
The Aztec and Falcons continue their three-game series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Colorado Springs.
Air Force 11, San Diego State 9SDSU 000 000 540 - 9 11 1AFA 431 300 00x - 11 18 4Shortell, Garber (1), Skinner (4), Mendoza (8) and RogersKaercher, Bashore (7), Cornell (8) and MurphyW - Kaercher (6-5)L - Shortell (5-4)SV - Cornell (1)HR - SDSU: Lockhart (10), Rogers (4) AFA: LaBasco (4)Time - 3:01Att - 115