May 25, 2005
SALT LAKE CITY - Freshman Joel Matthews pitched a complete game in his first collegiate start and third baseman Lance Zawadzki hit a pair of home runs for the second straight game to lead San Diego State to a 21-6 win over Air Force in the opening contest of the Mountain West Tournament in Salt Lake City. With the win, SDSU improves to 24-33 on the year while Air Force sees its record fall to 9-43.
Matthews (2-0), a right-hander from Christian HS in El Cajon, gave up only two runs (one earned) on four hits over the first eight innings and received plenty of support from his teammates both offensively and defensively. He was aided by three double plays, one of which came on a fly ball to right field which Jake McLintock turned into a twin killing by throwing out an Air Force runner at third.
SDSU got on the board quickly against Falcon starter Clayton Couch (0-3), scoring a pair in the opening frame on Zawadzki's first homer of the afternoon, a two-run shot to right field. The Aztec third baseman, who hit a pair of homers in last Friday's victory over Brigham Young, also had a three-run shot in the seventh when SDSU sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven times.
After San Diego State built a 5-0 lead after two innings, the Falcons worked their way back into the game with a pair of runs in the third. But SDSU got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Quintin Berry. Berry was the hitting star for the Aztecs, going five-for-six with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and three RBI. In the process, he upped his season batting average to .425.
SDSU added two more in the next frame on an RBI triple by Jake McLintock and run-scoring single by Curt Mendoza. McLintock's hit was his second of the day and moved him past former Aztec standout Chris Gwynn for the SDSU career hits record. He was also hit by pitch twice during the game to add to his Aztec career mark in that category as well.
San Diego State continued to pull away with four runs in the fifth, three coming on a bases-loaded double by Tim O'Brien. In the seventh, SDSU scored seven times on three hits, four walks and a hit batter.
Air Force scored four consolation runs in the ninth as Matthews began to tire. Three of those runs came on a home run by Falcon right fielder Dale Kasel.
San Diego State now advances to face Brigham Young in the second round of the tournament on Thursday, May 26, at 11:00 a.m. (MDT) at Franklin Covey Field.
San Diego State 21, Air Force 6AFA 002 000 000 - 6 8 2SDS 231 240 72x - 21 18 2Couch, Brown (3), Meyers (5), Tetrault (6), Garrison (7) and Polston, Meents (5)Matthews and Swaydan, Anderson (8)W - Matthews (2-0)L - Couch (0-3)Sv - NoneHR - AFA: Kasel (7) SDS: Zawadzki-2 (9)Time - 3:01