Feb. 23, 2008
SAN DIEGO - The University San Diego rode the arm and bat of junior Josh Romanski as it defeated San Diego State, 17-11, at USD's Cunningham Stadium Saturday afternoon. The game was the first half of a day-night doubleheader with the nightcap schedule for 7:00 p.m. at SDSU's Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Romanski was both the Toreros' starting pitcher and designated hitter, and he excelled at both spots. On the mound, he went five innings to pick up the win and help even his team's record at 1-1. At the plate, he went 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBI to lead USD's 14-hit attack that came against a total of six Aztec hurlers.
SDSU's hitting star was second baseman Garett Green, who matched Romanski's four hits and two home runs while driving in three runs and scoring four times.
San Diego State got out of the blocks quickly with a pair of runs in the opening inning. A leadoff single by Brett Tanos and walk to Troy Hanzawa put runners on first and second, and when Torero starter Josh Romanski's pickoff throw to second bounced off Tanos' back into center field, both runners advanced a base. A single by Nick Romero brought Tanos home with Hanzawa scoring a few pitches later on a balk.
After spotting the Aztecs the two runs in the top of the first, the Toreros came right back in the bottom of the frame with six runs off SDSU's Shane Kaufman (0-1), who was making his first start as an Aztec after 28 relief appearances a year ago. The big blows in the inning were a three-run homer by pitcher Romanski (who doubled as the DH) and a two-run triple off the bat of Kevin Hansen. The latter hit ended Kaufman's (0-1) afternoon as the Aztec right-hander faced nine batters allowing six runs on six hits and a walk.
San Diego State closed the gap in the top of the fourth when freshman Cory Vaughn's homer to deep center field scored Garett Green form second base and made it a 6-4 contest. Vaughn finished the afternoon with a pair of hits and three runs batted in.
But that's as close as the visitors would get the rest of the way as USD came back with three in the bottom of the inning on a three-run homer by Logan Gelbrich to give the Toreros a 9-4 lead. They added four more in the next frame that was highlighted by Romanski's second home run of the game, those one a two-run blast to right to make it a 13-4 score line.
From there, it seemed that USD had an answer every time the Aztecs tired to cut into the deficit. After SDSU scored four in the top of the sixth on RBI hits from T.J. Thomas, Brandon Glover and Vaughn, the home side came back with tree in the bottom of the same inning. When SDSU added a run in t he top of the eighth, the Toreros got one of their own in the same frame.
Torero sophomore right-hander Matt Thomsen, who tossed the final four innings for USD, pick up his first save as a collegian allowing three runs on four his over his relief stint.
Following tonight's contest at San Diego State, the series will conclude on Sunday at USD's Cunningham Stadium with a single game scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. (PST).