Feb. 28, 2007
FULLERTON, Calif - San Diego State could not dig its way out of an early deficit as it fell to 10th-ranked Cal State Fullerton, 9-8, Tuesday evening at the Titans' Goodwin Field. The game was similar to last week's contest between the teams in San Diego, only this time it was the Aztecs who came back from several runs down only to fall just short at the end.
SDSU fell behind in the second inning as Fullerton (10-4) touched freshman starter Nate Solow for four runs (two earned) and added another pair in the third.
The Aztecs (8-7) answered back against Titan starter Michael Morrison with single runs in the third and fourth. They could have had more had it not been for a pair of untimely inning-ending double plays that saved Morrison in each inning, one coming with the bases loaded and the other with runners on first and third.
Fullerton added three runs to its total in the bottom of the fifth off SDSU reliever Mark Triolo to take a 9-2 lead. At that point, the Aztecs began their comeback.
In the next inning, they tallied four runs to cut the Titan's lead to three. After Nick Romero led off with a double to right and went to third on a ground out to short, Pat Colwell reached first after being hit by pitch. An errant pickoff attempt by Titan hurler Ryan Ackland allowed Romero to score.
Catcher Frank LoNigro then doubled to right center to bring Colwell home, and LoNigro scored on Brian Lucas's ensuing single to right. A walk to Brian Decker and single by Cameron Johnson loaded the bases before a wild pitch allowed Lucas to cross the plate with the fourth run of the inning, cutting the deficit to 9-6.
The visitors added a run in the seventh on LoNigro's RBI single that plated Garett Green with SDSU's seventh run. Green had singled and advanced to second on Colwell's bunt single.
Trailing by two runs going into the final frame, the Aztecs got a leadoff double by Romero. One out later, Romero was cut down at third on Colwell's grounder back to pitcher Adam Jorgenson. However, LoNigro gave SDSU renewed hope with a double to the left field corner that scored Colwell and made it a one-run game. But Jorgenson then got Brian Lucas to ground out to short to end the contest.
Jorgenson's save, his third of the season, allowed Michael Morrison to pick up the win and even his record at 1-1. Nate Solow (1-1) suffered the loss in what was his first collegiate start.
Frank LoNigro finished the game with four hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in three runs. Nick Romero also had two doubles with Garett Green and Pat Colwell notching two hits apiece.
San Diego State will now head north to Stockton where it will play four games beginning Thursday (Mar. 1) with a contest against Pacific at 2:00 p.m. (PST) at Klein Family Field. The Aztecs will remain on Stockton over the weekend to compete in the Pacific State Bank Tiger Invitational with games against the host school along with San Francisco and Baylor.