May 20, 2004
SALT LAKE CITY - Josh Hill's three-run homer in the top of the eighth keyed a five-run Aztec rally, breaking a 1-1 deadlock and sending San Diego State on the way to a 6-4 win over Utah at Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City Thursday night. The win assured SDSU of at least a third-place finish in the Mountain West Conference final standings and left the door open for a possible first or second-place in league play.
The win improved San Diego State to 31-27 overall and 17-9 in the conference. Utah saw its record drop to 21-23 (11-17 MWC) as it will finish in fifth place in the final standings and face Brigham Young (fourth place) in the first round of next week's MWC Tournament in Las Vegas.
Thursday night's contest was dominated by pitching over the first six innings as neither team could come up with a clutch hit with men on base. The Aztecs finally broke through in the third when Rielly Embrey's two-out single off Ute starter Jason Price scored Landon Burt, who had doubled two batters ahead of him.
SDSU starter Scott Shoemaker, meanwhile, held Utah at Bay through five innings, striking out six along the way. In the process, he upped his season strikeout total to 105, tying him for fifth on the single-season Aztec list with Mike Erb (1987).
Utah knotted the score in its half of the sixth on walk to Matt Ciaramella, double by Eric Chevalier, and a sacrifice fly to center by Jared Pena.
San Diego State began its five-run rally in the eighth on one-out back-to-back singles by Jordan Swaydan and Curt Mendoza. Hill then deposited a pitch by Ute reliever Ben Buck (6-3) over the right field fence to stake the Aztecs to a 4-1 lead, but the visitors weren't done.
A two-out walk to James Guerrero and a single by Embrey were followed by an RBI single by Brock Ungricht and a run-scoring double by Lance Zawadzki to make it a 6-1 contest.
Utah fought back with three runs in its half of the inning off reliever Drew Jenson (2-2), with two coming on a home run by Eric Chevalier with a man on base. Closer Ryan Schroyer was called on to get the final out of the inning, then pitched a perfect ninth to record his 13th save of the season.
Rielly Embrey and Curt Mendoza finished with three hits apiece for San Diego State, which totaled 15 on the night but left 13 men on base over the course of the game.
The Aztecs and Utes continue their three-game series Friday night (May 21) in Salt Lake City beginning at 6:00 p.m. (MDT). Fans can follow the game via the Internet broadcast at www.goaztecs.com or on the text Gametracker at the same site.
San Diego State 6, Utah 4SDSU 001 000 050 - 6 15 1Utah 000 001 030 - 4 7 0Shoemaker, Jenson (6), Schroyer (8) and SwaydanPrice, Buck (7), Westmoreland (8) and SchliemanW - Jenson (2-2)L - Price (6-3)Sv - Schroyer (13)HR - SDSU: Hill (3) Utah: Chevalier (8)Att. - 189Time - 2:56