Feb. 3, 2002
Hilo, Hawaii - San Diego State ended its season-opening series with a 6-0 win over Hawaii-Hilo Sunday afternoon in Hilo. After dropping the opener last Thursday, SDSU came back to capture the next four to improve to 4-1 on the young season. The Vulcans fell to 1-14-1 on the year.
Sophomore right-hander Rob Harrand picked up the win in his season debut, going seven innings and scattering three hits while striking out three. Newcomers Eric Human and David Levy closed out the game on the mound, throwing a scoreless eighth and ninth inning respectively. Hilo starter James Onaga saw his record fall to 0-2.
The Aztecs opened the scoring in the second as Josh Allen singled to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Brian Manfred hit a sharp grounder to the right that hit the lip of the grass and bounced over the right shoulder of Vulcan first baseman Keola Park for an RBI single.
SDSU padded their lead with a four-run outburst in the top of the fourth. Chad Corona led off with a double and scored when Josh Allen's sacrifice bunt was thrown away by Vulcan pitcher James Onaga. After Allen was sacrificed to second, Brian Manfred hit his second RBI single of the game. Chad Redfern then came up and unloaded a two-run homer over the left field fence, his first of the season. It was first of his two extra-base hits on the day for Redfern as he also doubled in the sixth.
San Diego State closed out the scoring in the seventh on consecutive singles by Anthony Gwynn and Carlo Cota followed by a squeeze bunt off the bat of Garrett Cook.
In addition to Redfern and Manfred, Anthony Gwynn and Carlo Cota also picked up two hits apiece for the Aztecs who are off to their best start since the 1994 season when they also won four of their first five contests.
The Aztecs open their 2002 home season Tuesday night (Feb. 5) when they host UC Riverside at Tony Gwynn Stadium at 6:00 p.m. The game will be televised locally by Cox channel 4 and can also be heard on the Internet at www.goaztecs.com.
San Diego State 6, Hawaii-Hilo XSDS 010 400 100 - 6 12 2UHH 000 000 000 - 3 3 2Harrand, Human (8), Levy (9) and Manfred, Wilson (8)Onaga, Zimmerman (6), Lockett (8) and SootoW - Harrand (1-0)L - Onaga (0-2)Sv - NoneHR - SDS: Redfern (4th-one on)Att. - 150