March 5, 2003
Long Beach - Long Beach State got a leadoff home run from center fielder Adam Heether in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat San Diego State, 5-4, Tuesday night at Blair Field in Long Beach. With the win, the 8th-ranked 49ers improved to 11-5 on the season while the Aztec fell to 6-11.
San Diego State used 10 pitchers on the night along with several new faces in the starting lineup to give a number of non-regulars a chance to see some playing time.
Long Beach State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with three bunt singles and a bases-clearing double by Heether, who ended the night with three hits and four runs batted in.
Facing a 3-0 deficit, SDSU fought back with a single run in the second when Kyle Floquet's two-out double scored Garret Cook from first base. The Aztecs tied the game at 3-3 in their half of the fifth when Peter Stonard lined a bases-loaded single to right center that scored Ryan Wilson and Landon Burt from third and second respectively.
After the 49ers regained the lead at 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth, San Diego State again tied the contest with a single marker in the sixth. After Garrett Cook led off with a double, freshman James Guerrero came on as a pinch hitter and scored Cook with a double of his own.
The scored remained tied until the bottom of the 10th when Heether hit his game-winning shot off reliever Will Miller, who had come on to begin the ninth inning. LBSU's Neil Jamison went the final three innings to pick up his second win of the year against no defeats. Miller, meanwhile, saw his record fall to 0-3 on the year.
Up next for the Aztecs is a game against Oral Roberts at Tony Gwynn Stadium at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday (March 6). That game will be SDSU's first home contest since Feb. 16 after seven straight road games.
Thursday's game can be heard live on the Internet at www.goaztecs.com with Alan Horton Calling the action. The pregame show begins at 5:50 p.m. (PST)
Long Beach State 5, San Diego State 4SDSU 010 021 000 0 - 4 7 0LBSU 300 010 000 1 - 5 10 0Esparza, Levy (2), Esquibel (3), Human (4), Gillen (5), Harang (5), Eigenhuis 6), Lindsey (7), Heil (8), Miller (9) and SwaydanShoemaker, Paz (5), Jamison (8) and DavisW - Jamison (2-0)L - Miller (0-3)Sv - NoneHR - LBSU: Heether (9th-none on)At - 1,002Time - 3:27