April 6, 2007
SAN DIEGO - A bases-loaded hit batter in the bottom of the 10th inning brought home the deciding run as San Diego State edged New Mexico, 6-5, Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Aztecs' opportunity to win the contest was due in part to the effort of freshman reliever Stephen Strasburg, who had put down a serious Lobo threat one inning earlier.
SDSU (20-14, 5-2 MWC) found itself down quickly in the contest as the visitors scored three times in the second inning off Aztec starter Steven Hirschfeld, who had struck out the side to open the contest. Hirschfeld ran into trouble in the second, giving up a solo home run to Matt Hibbitts that was followed one out later by four consecutive singles.
UNM (14-20, 3-5 MWC) starter Steven Smith, meanwhile, was in total control over the first three frames, retiring the first 10 men he faced. But in a manner to similar to his own team's rally, he gave up four straight hits, a hit batter and another single as the Aztecs grabbed a 4-3 lead in the fourth. Frank LoNigro and Brian Lucas had RBI singles while Brandon Glover drove home a pair of runs with a double.
The Aztecs added to their lead with a run in the fifth as Troy Hanzawa opened with a bunt single, went to third on a hit-and-run single by Aaron Brady, and scored on Nick Romero's sacrifice fly. The Lobos, however, fought back with single runs in both the sixth and eighth innings to knot the score at 5-5.
In the top of the ninth, with Aaron Brady having moved to the mound from right field, the Lobos looked to go ahead as Matt Foote led off with a single to left. After one pitch to the next batter, Strasburg was summoned from the bullpen.
A sacrifice bunt moved Foote to second and Strasburg intentionally walked the next batter, Jordan Pacheco. After Pacheco stole second, Strasburg issued another intentional pass to Daniel Stovall to load the base with one out. The moves paid off as the Aztec lefty struck out Hibbitts and got Derek Pilkington hit a chopper to the left of first base that Mike Willeford made snagged and tossed to Strasburg covering the bag.
In the bottom of the 10th, the inning began with Matt Parker reaching first on an error by Lobo shortstop Scott Gracey. Willeford then laid down a sacrifice bunt to pitcher Brandon Hewett, who thought about going to second, but instead opted for a throw to first. On the play, both first baseman Stovall and second baseman Pacheco were at the bag, and in the confusion Hewett's throw went by both players allowing Parker to advance to third and Willeford to second. After an intentional walk to Hanzawa, pinch hitter Joe Spiers was hit by a Hewett pitch to bring home the winning run.
Strasburg (1-0), who picked up a save in Thursday night's win over the Lobos, was credited with the win, his first as a collegiate player. Hewett (0-1) took the loss after giving up the unearned run in the final inning.
Aaron Brady, who began the contest in right field and pitched to one batter as well, was the lone Aztec with more than one hit as he had a pair of singles in four trips to the plate. Brandon Glover's two-RBI double in the fourth inning was the Aztecs' only extra-base hit of the contest.
New Mexico and San Diego will conclude their three-game series on Saturday (Apr. 7) with game time set for 1:00 p.m. (PDT) at Tony Gwynn Stadium.