March 27, 2007
SAN DIEGO - The University of San Diego used an eight-run second inning to propel itself to a 9-3 win over San Diego State Tuesday afternoon at Cunningham Stadium. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for SDSU, which fell to 17-12 on the year. The 21st-ranked Toreros, meanwhile, improved to 22-10. It was USD's seventh win in a row over the Aztecs, who have not defeated their cross-town rival since the 2005 campaign.
Just as in the previous meeting between the two teams this season, San Diego State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on three hits, a hit batter and an error. SDSU got RBI from Garett Green, Brian Lucas and Frank LoNigro to claim an early advantage.
The Toreros responded by scoring eight times in the bottom of the second to take control of the contest. Aztec starter Lance Sewell, who had retired the side in order in the first, gave up the first six USD runs on just two hits. Three walks and an error contributed to the rally and made only three of those runs earned, but it was enough to send the sophomore left-hander to his second defeat of the year as he fell to 4-2. After Sewell departed, the home side got three more hits and two more walks to complete the scoring.
USD added a run in the third on a leadoff double by Kevin Hansen and RBI single by Kevin Muno to make it a 9-3 game. However, following that, five Aztecs relievers gave up only one hit as they allowed just three base runners (two on walks) over the final seven frames. But SDSU was unable to mount any offense of its own after its first-inning outburst.
Torero starting pitcher Matt Couch (4-1) went the first six innings, allowing three unearned runs on six hits while striking out six. He was aided by double play balls in both the fourth and fifth innings when the Aztecs threatened with two runners on base. Russell Holzhauer tossed the final three frames to pick up his first save of the season.
SDSU finished the contest with eight hits, the same total accumulated by USD. Second baseman Garett Green catcher Frank LoNigro accounted for half of Aztecs' hits on the afternoon with a pair of singles each.
San Diego State now returns to Mountain west Conference play as it travels to Albuquerque this weekend for a three-game series against New Mexico beginning Friday, Mar. 30, at 6:00 p.m. (MDT) at Isotopes Park.