May 9, 2006
SAN DIEGO - UC Irvine got solid pitching from five different hurlers, holding San Diego State to six hits, as it defeated the Aztecs, 8-1, Tuesday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The loss dropped SDSU to 20-32 on the season while the Anteaters improved to 30-17.
Catcher Jordan Swaydan provided the home team's lone offensive highlight, hitting his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the third that put SDSU on top, 1-0.
That lead was short lived, however, as UCI struck for three in the top of the next inning off Aztec starter Brett Douglas. A double and a walk preceded RBI singles by Danny McCarthy and Tyler Vaughn, with the third run scoring on a safety squeeze bunt off the bat of catcher Aaron Lowenstein.
Douglas would exit after five innings having surrendered the three runs on seven hits while striking out three. The Aztecs' limited offensive production meant that he would suffer his second loss of the year as he saw his record fall to 1-2.
The Anteaters added a run in the sixth off SDSU reliever Will Miller as leadoff man Cody Cipriano doubled home Lowenstein with two out. Cipriano was a thorn in SDSU's side all night, finishing the evening with four hits, a walk, two RBI and a run scored.
Irvine put the game away with four runs in the eighth that owed more to the generosity of the hosts than any offensive outburst. Those runs came on four consecutive walks, an RBI ground out, and a throwing error with two outs that allowed the final two base runners to cross the plate.
Anteater reliever Dylan Axelrod, who pitched four scoreless innings, was credited with the victory to up his record to 4-2. He gave up just three hits over the fourth through seventh innings and struck out six. All told, the five UCI pitchers recorded 12 strikeouts on the night.
Quintin Berry and Brock Ungricht accounted for four of San Diego State's six hits on the night with two apiece. One of Berry's hits was a two-out triple in the fifth, but the Aztecs were unable to bring him home.
San Diego State now returns to Mountain West Conference play as it travels to Provo, Utah, for an important three-game series with Brigham Young beginning Thursday, May 11, at 7:00 p.m. (MDT) Larry H. Miller Field.
UC Irvine 8, San Diego State 1UCI 000 301 040 - 8 10 0SDS 001 000 000 - 1 8 2Gorgen, Swanson (3), Axelrod (4), Necke (8), Erickson (9) and LowensteinDouglas, Koons (6), Miller (6), Triolo (7), Nolte (8), Suwyn (8), Simon (9) and SwaydanW - Axelrod (4-2)L - Douglas (1-2)Sv - NoneHR - SDS: Swaydan-2 (3rd-none on)Time - 3:09Att. - 432