Feb. 15, 2001
SAN DIEGO - A botched rundown in the 10th inning cost the San Diego State baseball team its opening game of the ninth annual San Diego Classic and enabled Oregon State to claim an 8-7 victory on Thursday at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Aztecs (3-4 overall) rallied to catch the Beavers (1-3 overall) in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs to send the game into extra innings. However, OSU answered in the top of the 10th. With two outs and runners on the corners, Beaver third baseman Brian Barden broke to steal second. SDSU pitcher Royce Ring stepped off the rubber and got Barden in a rundown. With Barden involved in the pickle, OSU center fielder Eric Stark broke for home. Aztec first baseman Rielley Embrey made an inaccurate throw to the plate, allowing Stark to score and the Beavers to pick up the win.
Despite suffering the loss, SDSU reliever Chris Dunwell turned in a solid performance, allowing two runs (only one earned) in 5 1/3 innings of work out of the pen. Dunwell struck out a season-high nine batters and allowed only one hit.
As if the end result wasn't bad enough, the Aztecs also suffered another setback, as center fielder Chad Redfern left the game with a deep laceration on the middle finger on his right hand. Redfern, who was named the most valuable player of last year's Mountain West Conference tournament, sustained the injury after his finger caught in the dirt on a headfirst slide into second base in the 10th inning. Following the game, Redfern went to the hospital to get stitches.
In other action in day one of the San Diego Classic, Texas Tech hammered UC Riverside, 17-6. Action resumes tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium, when the University of San Diego takes on UC Riverside. Texas Tech and Oregon State will meet at 2 p.m., with SDSU and Oklahoma rounding out the action at 6 p.m.