March 17, 2001
San Diego - San Diego State received clutch hitting from several players and another solid performance from the pitching staff to record an 8-4 win over UNLV on at Earl Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Aztecs (13-9 overall) moved above the .500 mark in league play, improving to 3-2 on the year. The loss dropped the Rebels to 11-14 on the season and 3-2 in conference contests.
Starting pitcher Rory Shortell improved his mark to 3-1 as he went six innings to pick up the win. The sophomore from Portland, Ore., gave up two unearned runs, struck out seven , and worked his way out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning.
Relievers Jon Minter, Mike Garber and Royce Ring each went one inning, with Garber giving up a two-run homer to UNLV's Jason Reuss in the eighth.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, San Diego came back to knot the score with single markers in the second and third. RBI singles by catcher Brian Manfred and first baseman Cody Haven were the key hits in those innings. Manfred finished the game with three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the sixth that gave the Aztecs a 5-2 lead after Jacob Minter had doubled home Sean Pierce.
SDSU extended its margin to 8-2 with three runs in the eighth on two-RBI double by Taber Lee and a run-scoring single by Anthony Gwynn. Lee and Haven had two hits apiece on the day as San Diego State's total of 12 marked the 12th time in its last 13 games the team double figures in hits.
The Aztecs did have one offensive steak end during the contest. When SDSU was retired in order in the seventh inning, it broke a string of 34 consecutive innings in which at least one Aztec had reached base safely.
San Diego State and UNLV conclude their three-game series on Sunday (Mar. 18) at 1:00 p.m.
San Diego State 8, UNLV 4SDSU 011 003 030 - 8 12 2UNLV 200 000 020 - 4 6 2Shortell, Minter (7), Garber (8), Ring (9) and ManfredVan, Bonnell (6), Scheinbaum (9) and BeasleyW - Shortell (3-1)L - Van (1-4)Sv - NoneHR: SDSU-Manfred (1), UNLV-Kitsch (7), Reuss (3)Att. - 319