May 7, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State completed a three-game sweep of Air Force, defeating the Falcons by the score of 16-2 Sunday afternoon in Colorado Springs. The game was halted after seven innings as the contest was played with a 10-run rule as agreed upon by both coaches prior to the start of the game.
Aztec starter Bruce Billings went five innings, scattering four hits while striking out seven as he picked up the win to improve to 5-3 on the year.
Falcon freshman right-hander Jake Petro (2-4), who went 4.2 innings, was saddled with the loss. Petro allowed just six hits, but was hurt by seven bases on balls, five of which would end up crossing the plate for San Diego State.
SDSU (20-31; 13-6 MWC) opened the scoring in the third with three runs coming on an RBI fielder's choice from Joey Huskins and a two-run single off the bat of shortstop Nick Romero.
In the next inning, the Aztecs added three more runs on just one hit as two walks and a hit better set the stage for a three-run triple to center by left fielder Paul Smyth.
The top of the fifth saw San Diego State up its lead to 10-0, scoring four runs on a pair of hits as it took advantage of three more walks. The big blow in the inning came with two outs and the bases loaded for Lance Zawadzki. With the runners on the move, Zawadzki hit a sharp single to center that short-hopped the center field and allowed three runs to score including Quintin Berry all the way from first.
The Aztecs tacked on two in the next inning on Curt Mendoza's RBI double and a run-scoring single by Tim O'Brien. They added four unearned runs onto their total in the seventh frame as a two-out bases-loaded error by shortstop Geno Salazar allowed SDSU to open up a 16-0 advantage.
Air Force (10-30; 1-15 MWC) scored a pair of consolation runs in the bottom of the seventh as Brad Madison led off with a ground rule double to center off Aztec reliever Jared Suwyn followed by a homer by catcher Erol Kelter two batters later.
Jordan Swaydan and Curt Mendoza were the only two Aztecs to record two hits on the afternoon with Lance Zawadzki and Paul Smyth driving in three runs apiece.
San Diego State now returns home to face UC Irvine on Tuesday (May 9) at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
San Diego State 16, Air Force 2SDS 003 342 4 - 16 11 1AFA 000 000 0 - 2 6 1Billings, Triolo (6), Suwyn (7) and SwaydanPetro, Perez (5), and CarpenterW - Billings (5-3)L - Petro (2-4)Sv - NoneHR - NoneAtt. - 63Time - 2:43