April 15, 2007
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jesse Shriner's bases-loaded single to right in the bottom of the ninth brought home the game-winning run as Utah defeated San Diego State, 9-8, Sunday afternoon at Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City. It was a wild game in which SDSU fell behind early, went ahead, then watched the Utes fight their way back into the game and win it in walk-off style.
The Aztecs used six pitchers on the day and the Utes scored at least once against five of them. SDSU starter Steven Hirschfeld's day was a short one as the Utes opened the contest with four runs on six hits in the first. Hirschfeld faced only eight batters before giving way to reliever Mike Koons, who came on to get the final out of the inning.
The Aztecs began chipping away at Utah's 4-0 lead, scoring a run in the top of the second on a leadoff single by Brandon Glover, a balk, a ground out to short and a sacrifice fly by Garett Green.
SDSU (22-17, 7-4 MWC) tied the game in the next frame thanks to three walks by Ute starter Brad DeVore, a pair of base hits and an error. Glover (single) and Green (sacrifice fly) each drove in a run while a third scored on the Ute miscue.
The Aztecs took the lead one inning later when Joe Spiers doubled with two outs and Nick Romero's grounder was misplayed by Utah first baseman Jay Brossman, allowing Spiers to come home.
Koons, who sailed through the second through fourth frames, ran into trouble in the fifth when the home side put runners on first and second with no outs as Corey Shimada singled and Jay Brossman was hit by pitch. After getting the first out on a fly ball to center, Koons got John Welsh to hit a grounder to shortstop. Brossman was forced at second, but on the relay, Welsh was safe at first. Shimada, meanwhile, kept running from second and was thrown out at the plate by Aztec first baseman Joe Spiers to complete an unorthodox double play.
The Aztecs got a little breathing room in their half of the sixth as Frank LoNigro deposited a ball over the left field fence for a three-run homer, his third of the season to give his team an 8-4 advantage. That lead, however, was short-lived as the Utes struck for three of their own in the bottom of the same inning to make it a one-run game once again.
Utah (16-19, 5-4 MWC) tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the seventh as they opened with back-to-back singles by Dustin Hennis and John Welsh off Aztec reliever Aaron Brady to put runners at first and third. With freshman Stephen Strasburg on in relief, Bret Baldwin laid down sac bunt to first that brought home the tying run.
After retiring the six hitters he faced in the seventh and eighth, Strasburg ran into trouble in the ninth inning as Brossman led off with a single to center and went to second on a walk to Nick Lowry. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, Bret Baldwin was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Shriner then lined a 2-2 pitch into right field for the game-winning hit.
Utah reliever Brett Bruneel, who recorded a save in Saturday's Ute victory, was the beneficiary of Shriner's hit as he picked up the win to improve to 3-2 on the year. With the loss, Strasburg saw his record fall to 1-1.
Joe Spiers led the Aztecs with three hits including a double and also scored three runs. Three others had a pair of hits each including center fielder Brandon Glover, who wore number 42 during the game in honor of Jackie Robinson. Garett Green had a double and a single with a pair of RBI while Matt Parker contributed a pair of singles.
Up next for San Diego State is a meeting with cross-town rival University of San Diego on Tuesday, Apr. 17, at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium