May 7, 2005
Game1 Box Score
Game2 Box Score
SALT LAKE CITY - San Diego State needed extra innings in game one and got help from Utah's defense in game two as it swept a doubleheader from the Utes on Saturday at Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City. It took 11 innings for the Aztecs to win the opener, 9-7, and three Utah fielding errors in the final inning to take the nightcap, 7-5.
The win allowed SDSU to improve to 20-28 on the year and 14-9 in the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs now sit in third place in the league standings, two-and-a-half games behind second-place BYU and three-and-a-half games ahead of fourth place New Mexico. Utah, meanwhile, fell to 17-27 (9-14 MWC).
With three RBI in game one of the doubleheader, San Diego State's Jake McLintock became the Aztecs' career leader in that category with 170, breaking the old mark of 168 held by Chris Gwynn (1983-85).
The doubleheader also saw a pair of Aztec relievers pick up their first career victories.
In game one, SDSU led 8-3 behind the pitching of Alex Hinshaw and an offensive attack that scored six runs over the middle three innings. However, the Aztec bullpen was unable to preserve that advantage, allowing the Utes to score three times in both the seventh and eighth frames to knot the score at 9-9.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Aztecs stared defeat in the face as the Utes loaded the base with no outs on a hit batter, a fielding error and a walk. However, junior right-hander Cody Campbell, who had come on get the final out in the eighth, struck out Utah cleanup hitter Doug Beck and induced first baseman Clayne Garrett to hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
SDSU capitalized on Campbell's effort, scoring twice in the top of the 10th. Brock Ungricht led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Jake McLintock. After an intentional walk to Lance Zawadzki, Jordan Swaydan came through with a two-out single to bring home Ungricht. Sam Pepper followed with a single to score Zawadzki, and Campbell (1-0) closed out the game in the bottom of the inning to pick up his first win.
The contest marked the first time that SDSU had ever played three consecutive extra-inning games, following last Sunday's 14-inning affair vs. UNLV and this past Tuesday's 11-inning outing at Cal State Fullerton.
In the nightcap, San Diego State opened the scoring with a run in the second on back-to-back doubles by Zawadzki and Tim O'Brien. However, the home side came back with five in its half of the third as it put together six hits while sending nine men to the plate.
The Aztecs closed the gap to a single run on a two-run homer by Curt Mendoza (his fourth of the year) in the fourth and an RBI by Lance Zawadzki in the fifth that made it a 5-4 contest. They tied the game at five apiece in the eighth on a two-out RBI double by Grant Desme.
SDSU's game-winning rally in the ninth began with one-out singles by Brock Ungricht and Jake McLintock. Lance Zawadzki's potential double play ball was dropped by Ute shortstop Ryan Khoury to load the bases and send second baseman Kevin Perry to the plate.
Perry hit a chopper in front of the plate that was mishandled by Utah pitcher Brian Lane. His throw to home was late, allowing Ungricht to score. As Lane was returning to the mound with his back to home plate, Utah catcher Trevor Eastman tossed him the ball and it rolled into the infield with McLintock coming home from third.
Aztec redshirt freshman Jared Suwyn (1-0), who had come on in relief of Bruce Billings in the sixth, closed out the contest to record his first SDSU career win. Suwyn allowed no runs on five hits over his four innings while striking out four.
Utah's Lane (5-5), who had tossed the final two innings of the first game and suffered the loss, was the victim of his team's three errors in the ninth as he was the losing hurler for the second time in the twin bill.
On the day, McLintock finished with four hits, three runs scored, a triple and three RBI while teammate Lance Zawadzki also had four hits, including a double, with three RBI and a pair of runs. Ungricht and Guerrero connected for three hits each over the two games while Joseph Scaperotta hit his third homer of the season in game one.
The Aztecs and Utes conclude their three-game MWC series on Sunday (May 8) at 1:00 p.m. (MDT).
GAME 1San Diego State 11, Utah 9 (11 inn.)SDSU 101 213 010 2 - 11 16 4Utah 100 110 330 0 - 9 14 2Hinshaw, Douglas (7), Bruckart (8), Campbell (8), and SwaydanCooper, Madsen (7), Lance (9) and EastmanW - Campbell (1-0)L - Lane (5-4)Sv - NoneHR - SDSU: Scaperotta (3)Time - 3:58
GAME 2San Diego State 7, Utah 5SDSU 010 210 012 - 7 9 0Utah 005 000 000 - 5 13 3Billings, Suwyn (6) and AndersonCrockett, Bailey (8), Lance (9) and EastmanW - Suwyn (1-0)L - Lane (5-5)Sv - NoneHR - SDSU: Mendoza (4)Time - 3:09Att. - 187