April 23, 2008
LOS ANGELES - Pat Colwell's bases-loaded double in the top of the ninth broke a 2-2 deadlock and turned what had been a frustrating evening into a 6-3 win over USC Tuesday evening at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles. Colwell's timely hit complemented an excellent pitching performance by sophomore Nate Solow (3-5), who scattered six hits and struck out six over eight-plus innings to pick up his third win of the season.
The win ended a brief two-game losing skid for the Aztecs, who improved to 24-17. The loss was the fourth in a row for the Trojans as they saw their record drop to 19-20.
USC opened the scoring in the third when Roberto Lopez's two-out fly ball to right field was lost in the twilight sky by Colwell and fell behind him for a triple. A walk to Nick Buss was followed by a triple down the right field line off the bat of Grant Green to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead.
San Diego State cut the deficit in half in the next frame as Troy Hanzawa led off with a triple to center and came home on an RBI single by Nick Romero. SDSU proceeded to load the bases with no outs, but could not push another run across. The inability to bring home another run in the inning was a sign of things to come.
While Solow held the Trojans at bay on only one hit and a pair of walks over the next five innings, the Aztecs could not take advantage of several golden scoring opportunities. In the sixth and seventh innings, they loaded the bases with one out, but came up empty each time. In the eighth, SDSU again put three men on with one out, but this time a two-out bases-loaded walk forced in the tying run to make it a 2-2 contest.
In the top of the ninth, it looked like more of the same as SDSU put runners on first and second with no outs on back-to-back singles by Garett Green and Brandon Glover. When the throw from third on Brett Tanos' sacrifice bunt attempt was misplayed by Trojan first baseman Derek Perren, Green was thrown out at home attempting to score. An intentional walk to Erik Castro loaded the bases with one out, but Cameron Johnson's grounder to third was turned into a force out at the plate for the second out of the inning.
Just when it appeared the Aztecs were to be turned away again, Colwell laced a pitch from closer Robert Stock to the wall in left center field, clearing the bases and giving SDSU a 5-2 lead. Brandon Decker then laced a double down the right line to bring Colwell home from second. Stock, who gave up SDSU's final five runs (four earned) took the loss to even his record at 1-1.
Even with the Aztecs holding a 6-2 lead, the drama was far from over. Solow began the bottom of ninth inning by giving up a single and double to put Trojan runners on second and third. SDSU then brought on James McLaughlin, who retired pinch hitter Keith Castillo on a called third strike. However, the Aztec right-hander hit Joe De Pinto to load the bases and bring the potential tying run to the plate with one out.
A ground out to second base brought home one run to make it a 6-3 contest before another hit batter loaded the bases again. But McLaughlin closed out the contest by getting Nick Buss to foul out to Nick Romero at third as he recorded his second save of the year.
Troy Hanzawa finished the night with three hits (single, double, triple) while Garett Green also had three safeties (all singles). Brandon Decker contributed a single, double and two RBI while Colwell had two hits including the game-winner in the ninth that accounted for his three RBI.
Up next for San Diego State is a return to Mountain West Conference play as it hosts league-leading TCU for a three-game series beginning Friday, April 25, at 6:00 p.m. (PDT) at Tony Gwynn Stadium. That game will feature the top two pitchers in the league in SDSU's Stephen Strasburg (5-1, 1.73) and TCU's Tyler Lockwood (4-0, 1.80).