March 11, 2005
SAN DIEGO - The University of San Diego broke open a tight game with four runs in the seventh inning and went on to a 7-3 win over San Diego State Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The win ended SDSU's brief two-game winning streak as it fell to 4-15 on the season. USD, meanwhile, improved to 15-9-1.
Half of the 54 outs in the game came via the strikeout as both starting pitchers set or tied career single-game highs in that category. Torero starter Justin Blaine set a new personal best with 12 strikeouts over his six innings of work. His Aztec counterpart, sophomore right-hander Bruce Billings, tied his career best with 10 K's in six innings.
Although Billings was charged with five earned runs in the game, he was unfortunate in the top of the first when back-to-back routine fly balls by Randy Curtis and Jordan Abruzzo were lost in the high sky by Aztec outfielders, dropping untouched for doubles. Another double, this one to left center by Shane Buschini, drove in the second run of the inning.
The Aztecs came back to tie the contest with a pair of runs in the third on consecutive singles by Grant Desme, Quentin Berry were followed by Garrick Evans' RBI base hit. The second run came home on James Guerrero's double play ball.
The visitors regained the lead with a single run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Buschini, and put the game away with four in the next frame as made it a 7-2 game and knocked Billings (1-2) out of the game.
Torero starter Justin Blaine (5-1) left the game after six innings, allowing just two unearned runs on four hits. SDSU scored one run off reliever Russell Holzhauer in the bottom of the seventh before Sean Warlop (7th and 8th innings) and Matthew Falk (9th inning) combined to shut out the Aztecs the rest of the way.
Catcher Jordan Swaydan and third baseman Grant Desme paced the San Diego State offense with two hits apiece.
The Aztecs and Toreros continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday (Mar. 12) at 1:00 p.m. at Cunningham Stadium on the USD campus.
San Diego 7, San Diego State 3USD 200 001 400 - 7 11 1SDS 002 000 100 - 3 9 2Blaine, Holzhauer (7), Warlop (7), Falk (9) and AbruzzoBillings, Miller (7), Bruckart (7) and SwaydanW - Blaine (5-1)L - Billings (1-2)Sv - NoneHR - NoneTime - 3:17Att. - 1,032