April 29, 2005
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State used a combination of standout pitching and timely hitting to defeat UNLV, 7-3, Friday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The win was the Aztecs' eighth in their last nine games as they improved to 18-25 overall and 12-7 in the Mountain West Conference. The loss dropped UNLV (20-25) out of the league co-lead as it fell to 14-5 in MWC play.
SDSU starting pitcher Alex Hinshaw was one of the stars of the evening as the junior left-hander struck out a career-high 14 batters while walking only one over his seven innings of work. Hinshaw gave up all three Rebels runs (two earned) in the fourth inning as he recorded his fourth straight win to improve to 5-6 on the year.
The Aztecs opened the game with single runs in both the first and second innings off Rebel starter Matt Luca (4-6). An opening single by Quintin Berry was followed by a hit and run single from James Guerrero. Berry advanced to third on that hit and scored on Brock Ungricht's grounder to short. In the second, shortstop Grant Desme singled home Joseph Scaperotta from second after the latter had walked and gone to second on a ground out.
UNLV erased SDSU's two-run lead in the top of the fourth, scoring three times on an RBI sacrifice fly by catcher Justin Tellam and a two-run homer from right fielder Ryan Bird. That lead was short-lived, however, as the Aztecs responded with two runs in the bottom of the same frame.
Back-to-back doubles by Grant Desme and Berry tied the game at 3-3, and James Guerrero's single gave San Diego State a lead it would not relinquish.
The Aztecs added an insurance run in the seventh and two more in the eighth. In the seventh Guerrero's two-out triple was followed by a single by Desme. In the next inning, Jake McLintock's single brought home Guerrero and Lance Zawadzki from second and third respectively.
Hinshaw was replaced on the mound by Brett Douglas to start the eighth, and the sophomore allowed just one base runner on a fielding error. Bruce Billings came on in the ninth to finish the game, giving up two singles before striking out the side. All told, Aztec hurlers struck out 17 UNLV batters on the evening.
James Guerrero and Grant Desme had three hits apiece top lead the SDSU offense while Berry scored twice. Jake McLintock's two RBI leave him four shy of tying the Aztec career record in that category.
UNLV and San Diego State continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday (April 30) at 1:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
San Diego State 7, UNLV 3UNLV 000 300 000 - 3 6 0SDSU 110 200 12x - 7 15 3Luca, Navarro (5), Huseman (8) and TellamHinshaw, Douglas (8), Billings (9) and SwaydanW - Hinshaw (5-6)L - Luca (3-6)Sv - NoneHR - UNLV: Bird (3)Time - 3:15Att. - 608