March 4, 2006
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State used a seven-run fifth inning, its biggest offensive outburst of the season, to break open a tight game as it went on to defeat 12th-ranked Pepperdine, 13-3, Saturday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The win was the second in two days for SDSU over the nationally-ranked Waves as it improved their record to 6-10. Pepperdine dropped its third straight contest overall and fell to 8-9.
Aztec starting pitcher Bruce Billings allowed just one run, but control problems that saw him issue five walks caused him to be replaced by sophomore Mike Koons with no outs in the fourth. Koons, a transfer from the University of Arizona, went the final six innings, scattering six hits while allowing two runs (one earned) to even his record at 2-2.
SDSU opened the scoring with a single run in the second when Paul Smyth was hit by pitch, advanced to third on a pair of ground outs, and scored on an RBI single by designated hitter Joey Huskins.
The visitors tied the score at 1-1 with a run in the next inning as a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases with no outs before Donald Brown's sacrifice fly to center tied the game. Brown accounted for all three Wave RBI on the afternoon with the other two coming on a fielder's choice and a single after the outcome had been decided.
SDSU regained the lead in the fourth as Jordan Swaydan led off with a single, was sacrificed to second, and scored on a single by second baseman Sam Pepper to make it a 2-1 game. It was the first of four hits on the afternoon for Pepper, who also added another RBI later in the contest.
San Diego State's uprising at the plate came in the fifth as it scored seven times on eight hits with the first nine hitters in the innings reaching safely (including a walk).Nick Romero's triple was cashed in on an RBI double by Ungricht, who came home on an ensuing single by Smyth. Three batters later, Huskins added a pair of RBI with a bases-loaded single before Curt Mendoza capped off the scoring with a three-run homer beyond the right field fence to give the Aztecs a 9-1 lead.
SDSU's first five runs came off Pepperdine starter Adam Olbrychowski, who took the loss to fall to 2-3. Three Wave relievers fared little better as each was touched up for at least a pair of runs by the Aztec offense.
In addition to Pepper, Ungricht (two doubles) and Huskins (three RBI) finished the day with three hits apiece. The team's 13 runs and 21 hits were both Aztec season highs.
Every SDSU starter had at least one hit with the exception of third baseman Tim O'Brien, who was forced to leave the game after three innings after colliding with the fence while chasing a foul fly ball.
San Diego State and Pepperdine will conclude their three-game series on Sunday (March 5) at Tony Gwynn Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
San Diego State 13, Pepperdine 3PEP 001 000 101 - 3 8 2SDS 010 170 22x - 13 20 2Olbrychowski, Johnson (6), Stowell (6) Gaudi (8) and TellamBillings, Koons (4) and SwaydanW - Koons (2-2)L - Olbrychowski (2-3)Sv - NoneHR - SDS: Mendoza (2) (5th-two on)Att. - 611Time - 3:38