April 8, 2005
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State sent 14 men to the plate and scored 10 runs in the sixth inning as it defeated New Mexico, 17-9, Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Aztecs' run and hit (17) totals were season highs as they ended a three-game skid and saw their record improve to 8-20 overall and 3-4 in the Mountain West Conference. The loss put a stop to the Lobos' three-game win streak as they fell to 15-16 (5-5 MWC).
SDSU left-hander Alex Hinshaw (2-6), making his first Friday start of the season, went 6.2 innings, allowing three runs while recording a career-best 10 strikeouts. The offense was led by center fielder Quintin Berry, who had four hits (including a triple) and scored four times. Lance Zawadzki and Jake McLintock had three hits apiece for the Aztecs with the latter driving in five runs on the evening.
Both teams put up single runs in each of the first two innings before James Guerrero gave San Diego State the lead for good with a solo home run in the third to make it a 3-2 game. The home side extended its lead to 4-2 with a run in the fifth on Joseph Scaperotta's two-out double that's allowed Berry to score from first after the ball was mishandled by the Lobo left fielder.
The Aztecs' big sixth inning rally came courtesy of seven hits, a walk and a pair of hit batters as they sent Lobo starter Jason Fernandez (5-4) to the showers, scoring seven of those runs off the UNM right-hander.
During that 10-run outburst, SDSU right fielder Jake McLintock had a pair of doubles and four RBI while first baseman Tim O'Brien had three runs batted in with a triple and bases-loaded hit by pitch. Scaperotta contributed a two-run single while Berry chipped in with an RBI double in the inning as well.
After the visitors got a run back in the seventh, the Aztecs padded their lead in the bottom of the same inning with three runs. Curt Mendoza's second home run of the season, to dead center field, scored two of those runs. The third scored on an infield error that brought James Guerrero home from second base after he had walked and advanced on a single by Lance Zawadzki.
The Aztec took a 17-3 advantage into the ninth, but spoiled an otherwise excellent team outing by committing a pair of two-out errors and allowing New Mexico to add six unearned runs to its total.
The Lobos and Aztecs will continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday (Apr. 9) at 1:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. UNM will send lefty Danny Ray Herrera (4-1, 4.08) to the mound while SDSU will counter with sophomore right-hander Bruce Billings (2-3, 3.40).
San Diego State 17, New Mexico 9UNM 110 000 106 - 9 11 2SDS 111 01(10) 30x - 17 17 3Fernandez, Lopez (6), Moore (7), Cales (8) and J. GradyHinshaw, Douglas (7), Campbell (8), Matthews (9) and Swaydan, Anderson (8)W - Hinshaw (2-6)L - Fernandez (5-4)Sv - NoneHR - SDSU: Guerrero (1), Mendoza (2)Time - 3:14Att. - 636