May 28, 2004
LAS VEGAS - San Diego State batted around in both the second and third innings, scoring a total of 19 runs as it went on to a 24-8 win over New Mexico in an elimination game at the Mountain West Conference Tournament at Earl Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas Friday night.
The victory moved the Aztecs into Saturday's championship game against host UNLV at 3:00 p.m. Should SDSU win that contest, they would then play the Rebels in a second game for the tourney title. This will be SDSU's fifth appearance in the tourney championship game in the five years that the event has been contested.
Brock Ungricht was the hitting star for San Diego State as he went 5-for-6 with a double and two home runs. His seven RBI established a new MWC Tournament record as did the team's 24 runs. SDSU also tied the tourney mark for home runs in a game with five. The 24 runs was a season-high for the Aztecs and their 21 hits tied their best total in a game this season.
Aztec freshman Bruce Billings got the start on the mound and was touched up for an unearned run in the top of the second as New Mexico (26-29-1) took a 1-0 lead. That lead didn't last long, however, as SDSU sent 12 men to the dish in the bottom of the inning, scoring eight runs on eight hits. Josh Hill hit his second two-run homer in two days and Curt Mendoza added a solo shot in the frame.
SDSU (35-28) continued its offensive onslaught in the next inning as 15 batters came to the plate to score 11 runs. The big blows in the innings were three-run homers by Ungricht and Landon Burt plus a bases-loaded triple by James Guerrero that drove in the final three runs of the inning.
Billings was lifted after three innings to save him for Saturday's action. In those three innings, he allowed just the one unearned run on three hits while striking out five and walking none.
Senior Chris Hartshorn tossed the next five innings as he picked up the win to improved to 5-4. New Mexico Karsten Gaarder, who gave up SDSU's first seven runs, was saddled with the loss as he evened his record at 3-3.
Aztec second baseman Lance Zawadzki finished the evening with three hits, an RBI and two runs scored while Landon Burt had four RBI and scored three times.
San Diego State 24, New Mexico 8UNM 010 010 123 - 8 18 2SDS 08(11)003 02x - 24 21 1Gaarder, Pacas (2), J. Smith (3), Letz (3), Coltrinari (7) and J. GradyBillings, Hartshorn (4), Douglas (9) and SwaydanW - Hartshorn (5-4)L - Gaarder (3-3)Sv - NoneHR - UNM: T. Grady (4), J. Grady (9) SDS: Burt (6), Ungricht-2 (3), Hill (5), Mendoza (6)Att - 859Time - 3:06