April 26, 2005
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Cal State Northridge scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to spoil an SDSU comeback effort as CSN defeated the Aztecs, 5-3, Tuesday afternoon at Matador Field in Northridge. The winning runs were the result of a pair of walks, a hit batter and an RBI single by shortstop Alberto Quintana, and came after San Diego State had tied the game in the top of the inning.
The victory put an end to the Matadors' three-game losing streak as they improved to 14-23-1. The Aztecs, meanwhile, saw their seven-game winning streak halted and in the process fell to 17-25.
San Diego State junior left-hander Dan Bruckart made his first career start, going six innings and recording a personal-best four strikeouts. Although he allowed 10 hits, the only one that hurt him was a two-run homer by Matador catcher Adam Fleener in the fourth that gave the home side a 2-0 lead.
Aztec shortstop James Guerrero got SDSU back into the game with a two-out solo home run in the sixth, his third of the year. However, CSUN center fielder Michael Paulk restored his side's two-run advantage with a solo homer of his own off Aztec reliever James Scott to lead off the bottom of the seventh.
San Diego State's game-tying rally in the eighth began with a single by second baseman Grant Desme. After a pair of strikeouts, Guerrero drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Ensuing singles by Brock Ungricht and Lance Zawadzki brought home Desme and Guerrero respectively, knotting the score at 3-3.
That set the stage for Quintana's game-winning hit in the bottom of the same frame. After Scott put two men on with a walk and hit batter, sophomore reliever Jared Suwyn was summoned from the bullpen. He fared little better as he walked a batter to load the bases before Quintana's two-RBI single.
Northridge reliever Peter Eberhardt, who had allowed SDSU to tie the contest in the top of the inning, was the beneficiary of his team's rally as he was credited with the win to improve to 4-3. Joe Rocchio came on to pitch a perfect ninth to record his first save. Scott took the loss to fall to 1-2.
For SDSU, Grant Desme and Tim O'Brien each had a single and a double on the afternoon while Guerrero scored a pair of runs. Aztec center fielder Quintin Berry went hitless (0-for-4) to see his hitting streak ended at 27 games, one shy of the school record.
San Diego State now returns home where it will host a three-game Mountain West Conference series against league-leading UNLV starting Friday (April 29) at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Cal State Northridge 5, San Diego State 3SDS 000 001 020 - 3 8 0CSN 000 200 12x - 5 12 0Bruckart, Scott (7), Suwyn (8) and UngrichtGaylord, Jean (5), Berg (7), Eberhardt (8), Rocchio (9) and FleenerW - Eberhardt (4-3)L - Bruckart (1-2)Sv - Rocchio (1)HR - SDS: Guerrero (3) CSN: Fleener (1), Paulk (7)Time - 2:45Att. - 82