May 4, 2002
Colorado Springs - For the second straight day, Air Force combined a solid offensive outing with a complete-game pitching performance as the Falcons defeated San Diego State, 7-3, Saturday afternoon at Falcon Field. The loss was the fourth in the last six games for the Aztecs, who fell to 35-18 overall and 16-7 in the Mountain West Conference. Air Force improved to 24-22 on the season and 11-11 in league play as it moved into a third-place tie with Utah (12-12).
Air Force starting pitcher Johnny Koegel (6-4) followed up Matt Kaercher's complete-game effort of Friday with a stellar nine-inning effort of his own. Koegel scattered 12 hits and struck out six while stranding nine Aztec base runners over the course of the contest.
The Falcons opened the scoring with a run in the third off SDSU starter Rory Shortell (7-4) on an RBI single by second baseman Steve Winters. They added two more in the fourth on another run-scoring single by Winters and an RBI double by shortstop Nelson Prouty.
Air Force ran its lead to 7-0 by putting four more runs on the board in the sixth. The big blow in the inning was a three-run homer by Josh Phifer. It was the Falcon left fielder's second homer in two days.
Meanwhile, Air Force starter Johnny Koegel was holding San Diego State at bay offensively. Despite out-hitting the Falcons 12-11 on the day, SDSU was unable to score until the eighth inning when Royce Ring, in the role of designated hitter, singled home Carlo Cota from third.
San Diego State added a pair of consolation runs in the ninth, but it was too little too late. SDSU got RBI's in the inning from Josh Hill and Landon Burt.
Outfielder Jake McLintock and second baseman Carlo Cota finished the game two hits apiece for San Diego State as no other Aztec had more than one hit on the day.
With the loss, the Aztecs' magic number to clinch the regular-season conference title remains at three with both Brigham Young and Utah winning their games on Saturday.
San Diego State and Air Force conclude their three-game series on Sunday in Colorado Springs with game time set for 1:00 p.m. (MDT).
B>Air Force 7, San Diego State 3SDS 000 000 012 - 3 12 0AFA 010 204 00x - 7 11 2Shortell, Fiedler (6) and ManfredKoegel and PetroW - Koegel (6-4)L - Shortell (7-4)Sv - NoneHR - Phifer (6th-two on)Att. - 446Time - 2:30