April 5, 2008
SAN DIEGO - An inability to take advantage of early scoring opportunities plus a late rally by New Mexico were the main contributing factors as the Aztecs dropped a 5-4 decision to the Lobos Saturday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. It was the third straight loss for SDSU, which finds itself with a record of 17-13 overall and 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference.
With the victory, UNM improves to 20-10 on the season and moves into a tie for first place in the MWC with San Diego State at 5-3 in league play.
After the Lobos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double to left by Ian Hollick off SDSU starter J.R. Murphy, the Aztec senior right-hander shut them down over the next six innings on three hits.
The Aztecs, meanwhile, had excellent scoring opportunities in both the fourth and fifth innings, but came away empty both times. In the fourth, SDSU put men on first and third with one out, but UNM hurler Jacob Norton induced a double play from Troy Hanzawa to end the threat.
The home side had an even better chance in the next frame, loading the bases with no outs. This time, Norton got a strikeout, ground out to third and a fly out to right to hold the Aztecs at bay.
San Diego State finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh to take a 3-1 lead on a solo home run by catcher Bubba Rudy and a two-out two-run double to left by Nick Romero That drove home Brandon Decker and Troy Hanzawa, who had walked and single respectively.
New Mexico countered in its half of the eighth, cutting the deficit to a single run on a homer by Brian Cavazos-Galvez that cleared the wall in left center field.
That set the stage for the fateful ninth inning. Aztec freshman closer Addison Reed came on and was greeted by a single off the bat of Kevin Atkinson. After a sac bunt moved him to second, Atkinson scored the tying run on a base hit by shortstop Scott Gracey to tie the game.
After recording the second out, Reed then gave up a single to Hollick followed by a two-run double down the left field line by Matt Hibbitts to give the visitors a two-run advantage at 5-3.
In the bottom of the inning, SDSU tried to come back, as a walk to Brett Tanos and single by Brandon Decker followed by a sac bunt by Pat Colwell put runners at first and second. An RBI ground out by Hanzawa made it 5-4, but Lobo reliever Clinton Cox got the final out on a grounder to third to nail down the win.
Cox was credited with the win, his first of the season, to improve to 1-0. The contest marked the first loss for SDSU's Reed, who saw his record drop to 2-1.
Decker, Colwell, Hanzawa and Romero, the top four hitters in the Aztecs lineup, each had two hits on the afternoon with Romero diving in a pair of runs.
New Mexico and San Diego State conclude their weekend series on Sunday, April 6, with a contest slated to start at 1:00 p.m. (PDT) on the Aztecs' home field.