March 13, 2001
SAN DIEGO - A two-out balk by Loyola Marymount's Justin Abreu with the score tied and runners on the corners in the bottom of the ninth gave the San Diego State baseball team a 6-5 win over LMU at Tony Gwynn Stadium on Tuesday.
SDSU (11-9 overall) rallied to overcome a 5-1 deficit by scoring two runs in the seventh, two more in the eighth and the game winner in the ninth. Aztec third baseman Pilar Amaya delivered a game-tying two RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to breathe life into SDSU. Closer Royce Ring came on to pitch a scoreless ninth and improve his record to 5-0 on the year.
Abreu's balk came with Aztec designated hitter Andy Litteral on first base and shortstop Taber Lee on third. Lion first baseman Tommy Perez was not holding Litteral on, and when Abreu, a right hander, faked a throw to first, Lee was awarded home and SDSU picked up the win.
Several different Aztecs figured in the contest, as nine different SDSU batters combined to bang out 11 hits, and seven different Aztec pitchers saw action in the contest.
LMU (12-12 overall) was led offensively by left fielder C.J. Wilson, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles. Abreu took the loss for the Lions, yielding a run on two hits and one costly balk in one inning of relief work.
SDSU returns to action this weekend when it takes on Mountain West Conference rival UNLV for a three-game series beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday in Las Vegas. All three games of the series can be heard live on www.goaztecs.com with Alan Horton calling the action.
San Diego State 6, Loyola Marymount 5LMU 002 201 000 - 5 10 1SDSU 010 000 221 - 6 11 2Muecke, Felten (4), Gray (8), Abreu (8) and ZacutoHartshorn, Garber (3), Skinner (4), Dunwell (5), Mendoza (6), Minter (8), Ring (9) and ManfredWin-Ring (5-0)Loss-Abreu (0-1)Save-None2B-Zacuto, Gwynn, Cota, Haven