April 18, 2002
San Diego - San Diego State scored six runs in the fourth inning to overcome an early 1-0 deficit and went on to defeat Brigham Young, 10-2, in the first game of the teams' three-game series at Tony Gwynn Stadium Thursday night. Prior to that contest, the Aztecs collected a 12-10 win over the Cougars in the completion of the game suspended after eight innings in Provo on March 23.
With the two wins, San Diego State improved its record of 31-13 on the year and 13-3 in Mountain West Conference play. In the process, the Aztecs opened a four-game lead on second-place BYU, which fell to 16-21-1 and 9-7 in the MWC.
In the first game, the teams resumed action with SDSU leading 11-10. The Aztecs wasted little time in adding an insurance run in the ninth Taber Lee single home Anthony Gwynn who had doubled with one out.
Royce Ring, who had faced to batters in the eighth inning in Provo, ran into trouble in the bottom of the ninth when the first two Cougar batters, Lars Birkeland and Ranger Weins, singled to put runners on first and second. Ring then induced Doug Jackson to hit into a 5-3 double play and struck out Cameron Coughlan to close out the game.
The save was the 12th of the season for Ring, tying the SDSU record set by Curtis Smith in 1979. The win went to Joe Carque (6-1), who had thrown four innings and was the pitcher of record when SDSU took the lead in the eighth inning in Provo. BYU's James Ray (0-1) took the loss in relief.
In the regularly scheduled first game of this weekend's three-game series, Brigham Young jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Coughlan singled, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by SDSU catcher Brian Manfred, then scored on a wild pitch.
From that point, Chris Dunwell held the Cougars in check through the sixth inning. In improving his record to 6-3, Dunwell struck out nine. He allowed eight hits, but made the big pitches when it counted as the Cougars stranded 10 runners over his six innings of work.
BYU starter Jeff Mousser (6-3) was effective through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth when Jon Stephens, Jake McLintock and Chad Corona led off with singles to load the bases. Mousser proceeded to give up back-to-back run-scoring walks to Josh Hill and Brian Manfred to give the Aztecs a 2-0 lead. Designated hitter Rielly Embrey than hit a double into the gap in left center to clear the bases, and Taber Lee added a single to score Embrey with SDSU's sixth run of the inning.
SDSU added four more in the sixth off reliever Scott Koffman with RBIs by Carlo Cota, McLintock and Corona. BYU got a consolation run in the ninth on a triple by Coughlan and single by David Jensen.
San Diego State and Brigham Young continue their three-game series on Friday (April 19) with a 6:00 p.m. start at Tony Gwynn Stadium. That contest can be heard live on the Internet at www.goaztecs.com.
San Diego State 12, Brigham Young 10 (conclusion of suspended game)SDS 131 000 061 - 12 19 1BYU 105 300 100 - 10 17 2Moat, Hartshorn (3), Jenson (4), Carque (4), Ring (8) and Allen, Manfred (8)Koffman, Jacinto (3), Ray (8), Fernley (9) and BirkelandW - Carque (6-1)L - Ray (0-1)Sv - Ring (12)HR - BYU: Bills (7th-none on)Att. - 1440Time - 3:37
San Diego State 10, Brigham Young 2BYU 100 000 001 - 2 10 1SDS 000 604 00x - 10 9 1Mousser, Koffman (4) and Birkeland, Weingarten (7)Dunwell, Jenson (7), Human (8) and ManfredW - Dunwell (7-3)L - Mousser (6-3)Sv - NoneHR - NoneAtt. - 610Time - 2:45