Feb. 23, 2003
Coral Gables, Fla. - Miami scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and went on to defeat San Diego State, 6-3, Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Stadium in Coral Gables. Over the final four innings, the Aztecs had come back three times to tie the contest, but fell short in their bid to upset the 13th-ranked Hurricanes in the final game of their three-game weekend series.
The loss, the third in a row for SDSU, dropped San Diego State 5-8 on the year while Miami improved to 7-2.
After the Hurricanes put a run on the board in the fifth, the Aztecs came back to tie the game in the next inning. Back-to-back singles by Anthony Gwynn and James Guerrero followed by a fly bal to left by Peter Stonard set the stage for Rielly Embrey's grounder to first that scored Gwynn from third base.
Miami took a 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth with a single run, but SDSU came back to knot the score with a marker of their own in the top of the seventh as Chad Corona's solo home run to right tied the score at 2-2.
The Hurricanes regained the lead in their half of the seventh with an unearned run on a passed ball to make it 3-2. The Aztecs tied the game for the third time in the eighth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by left fielder Kyle Floquet that scored Stonard who had reached on an error to open the inning.
Freshman Ben Coon got his second start of the season and was effective in his 6.2 innings. He gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out five and walking none. He was relieved by junior right-hander Will Miller (0-2), who got the final out in the seventh, but was touched up for three runs in the bottom of the eighth and was charged with the loss.
Miami reliever J.D. Cockroft pitched the final three innings, allowing one unearned run as he improved to 2-0 on the season.
Kyle Floquet, who was making his first start as an Aztec, was the lone SDSU with more than one hit as he recorded a single and double along with one run batted in.
Up next for San Diego State is a trip to Lancaster (Calif.) next weekend to participate in the Clash of the Conferences Tournament hosted by Cal State Northridge. The Aztecs will begin play in that event with a contest vs. Oregon State on Friday (Feb. 28) at 2:00 p.m.
Miami 6, San Diego State 3SDS 000 001 110 - 3 8 1MIA 000 011 13x - 6 8 2Coons, Lindsey (7), Miller (7) and AllenCamardese, Albir (6), Cockroft (7) and San PedroW - Cockroft (2-0)L - Miller (0-2)Sv - NoneHR - MIA: Burt (5th-none on) SDS: Corona (7th-none on)Att. - 1,765Time - 3:03