Feb. 21, 2009
COMPTON, Calif. - Southern University got an excellent outing from starting pitcher Jarrett Maloy and some clutch hitting late to defeat San Diego State, 4-2, on day two of the MLB Urban Invitational in Compton, Calif. The result evened both teams' record at 1-1 on the young season.
Maloy, a preseason all-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection, tossed seven strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) while scattering five hits and striking out five. Following his departure from the contest, freshman Daniel Garcia came on to toss two innings of shutout ball to pick up his first career save, but not before some anxious moments in the top of the ninth.
For his part, SDSU starter Jon Berger pitched well enough, but was unable to hold off the Jaguar offense in the late going as he dropped his first decision of the season. Over his 6.2 innings, the Aztec senior right-hander gave up four runs on six hits, struck out five and walked none.
After the Aztecs went down in order to start the game, Berger was greeted by a triple from Jaguar leadoff hitter Romey Bracey to open the bottom of the first. Bracey would eventually score on a wild pitch before Berger began a run that saw him retire 12 of the next 13 batters including four via the strikeout. The only hitter to reach against him came on an error to begin the second inning.
SDSU would tie the game with an unearned run in the top of the third that began with an infield single by Matt Parker, who would eventually reach third on a walk to Easton Gust and a fielders' choice. A two-out error by Jaguar second baseman Bracey allowed Parker to come home with the tying run.
The pitching duel continued over the next three innings until the Aztecs took the lead in the top of the sixth on a walk to T.J. Thomas and an RBI double off the bat of Cory Vaughn.
However, just as quickly as SDSU took the lead, Southern responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame on a run-scoring single by Bracey and a two-out RBI double by first baseman Frazier Hall. The Jaguars added an insurance run in the next frame on a double by Gregory Whitfield and another two-out hit, this time a single by Toddrick Stevenson.
Garcia came on in relief of Maloy at that point for the Jaguars and retired three of the four batters he faced in the eighth. Things got interesting in the final inning when SDSU put two men on with two outs, only to see Easton Gust's fly ball to left caught on a fine play by Juan Mujica.
San Diego State continues opening-weekend action with a contest against 11th-ranked University of San Diego on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 1:00 p.m. at the Toreros' Cunningham Stadium.