March 3, 2006
SAN DIEGO - Brock Ungricht's two-run double in the fifth inning was the deciding hit in a pitchers duel that saw San Diego State defeat 12th-ranked Pepperdine, 3-1, Friday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The win ended a three-game losing skid for the Aztecs, who improved to 5-10 on the season. Pepperdine, meanwhile, saw its record drop to 8-8.
San Diego State's Justin Masterson and Pepperdine's Paul Coleman were the principle players as the starting pitchers for their respective teams. Masterson (2-2) went eight strong innings, scattering seven hits while striking out 11 and walking none.
Coleman (2-1) almost equaled that performance, tossing 7.1 innings and striking out seven. Of the three runs he gave up, two were earned as he suffered his first loss of the season.
The Waves drew first blood with a run in the top of the third. After one-out singles by David Uribes and Luke Salas put runners on first and third, a potential double play ball to Nick Romero at shortstop was booted by the young infielder, allowing Uribes to score. Masterson escaped further damage in the inning by striking out the next two batters looking.
Pepperdine gave the run right back in the bottom of the same inning as a miscue allowed SDSU to knot the score. Quintin Berry walked and appeared to be caught dead to rights when Coleman threw to first on an attempted steal of second. However, Wave first baseman Nick Kliebert's throw to second bounced by shortstop Danny Worth, allowing Berry to advance to third. He then scored on Nick Romero's sacrifice fly to center.
San Diego State's two-run fifth saw Berry get hit by pitch and reach second on Romero's single to right. Ungricht then hit a 2-2 pitch into the left center field gap to score both runners and give the home side its final 3-1 advantage.
Senior reliever Adam Simon came on to close out the game in the ninth, and did so in style by retiring the side in order on three strikeouts to record his second save of the season.
The Aztecs and Waves continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday (March 4) at 1:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
San Diego State 3, Pepperdine 1PEP 001 000 000 - 1 7 1SDS 001 020 00x - 3 7 2Masterson, Simon (9) and SwaydanColeman, Ozols (8) and OzolsW - Masterson (2-2)L - Coleman (2-1)Sv - Simon (2)HR - NoneAtt. - 401Time - 2:45