March 6, 2004
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State overcame a three-run deficit with four runs in the sixth and went on to a 7-4 win over 22nd-ranked North Carolina State Saturday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The victory allowed the Aztecs to end a four-game slide as their record climbed to 8-14 on the season. The loss was the first of the year for the Wolfpack as it fell to 10-1.
Freshman Lance Zawadzki had a pair of hits including a solo home run in the first inning that knotted the score at 1-1 after the visitors had pushed a run across in the top of the inning. It was the first homer of the year form Zawadzki who scored twice on the night.
North Carolina State came back in the third, scoring pair of unearned runs off starter Daryl Harang. The added another marker in the fourth, chasing Harang from the game while moving out to a 4-1 lead.
Wolfpack starter Vern Sterry (2-1), meanwhile, allowed three hits over the first five innings while striking out five and walking none. However, his defense let him down in the sixth and some timely Aztec hitting caused him to suffer his first loss of the year.
After Zawadzki led off the inning with a single, NC State second baseman Matt Camp fielded what appeared to be a double play grounder off the bat of Rielly Embrey and made a high throw to second to put two runners on with no outs. Two batters later, Josh Hill single to left to bring home Zawadzki with the first run of the inning.
Embrey and Hill then scored on an infield single by Clay Coulter and a fielder's choice by James Guerrero to tie the game before the go-head run came in on an fielding error by Camp.
SDSU added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Ryan Wilson's two-out singe drove in McLintock and Guerrero to provide the final 7-4 score line.
Ben Coon (1-0) was the beneficiary of the Aztecs' rally as he picked up his first win of the year in relief of starter Harang. The sophomore left-hander went 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out three. Senior Ryan Schroyer pitched the ninth inning to record his fourth save.
In addition to Zawadzki, both Embrey and Guerrero had two hits apiece for SDSU
The Aztecs and Wolfpack conclude their three-game series on Sunday (March 7) when they square off at Tony Gwynn Stadium at 1:00 p.m.
San Diego State 7, North Carolina State 4NCSU 102 100 000 - 4 11 3SDSU 100 004 02x - 7 10 2Sterry, McLaurin (6), Shipwash (8) and MuycoHarang, Billings (4), Coon (4), Schroyer (9) and UngrichtW - Coon (1-0)L - Sterry (2-1)Sv - Schroyer (4)HR - SDS: Zawadzki (1st-none on)Att. - 629Time - 2:53