March 11, 2009
LOS ANGELES - After being held in check over the first six innings, San Diego State roared back over the final three frames, scoring six times in the ninth to defeat UCLA, 10-6, Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The win was the Aztecs fourth in its last five outings as they improved to 8-6 on the year. UCLA, meanwhile, saw its record fall to 3-13.
The contest matched a pair of freshmen right-handers on the mound in SDSU's Ryan O'Sullivan and UCLA's Trevor Bauer. The Bruin hurler had the better evening of the two, but neither was around to be involved in the decision by the time the three-and-a-half hour contest concluded.
UCLA took the early lead with a run in the first only to see San Diego State respond with a run in the next inning on a two-out RBI single by Josh Chasse. The tie didn't last long as the home side scored four times against O'Sullivan over the next three innings to take a 5-1 lead after five frames. And with the way Bauer was throwing, that lead appeared safe.
After giving up the run in the second, Bauer faced the minimum over the next four innings. Only Aztec second baseman Mitch Blackburn reached safely (on a base on balls) and he was erased on a double play. Bauer, who was making his first start of the season after six relief appearances, left the game after six innings having allowed just the lone run on a pair of hits while striking out four.
The Aztecs began their comeback with a single run in the seventh that came without the benefit if a hit. Cory Vaughn reached on an error, went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by T.J. Thomas.
They close to within 5-4 one inning later as a single by Brandon Meredith, walk to Erik Castro and a hit by pitch by Vaughn loaded the bases with no outs. A wild pitch scored one run with the second coming on Easton Gust's sacrifice fly.
The Bruins, however, appeared to add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as designated hitter Cody Decker connected for a solo home run off SDSU reliever Kegan Sharp to make it a 6-4 game.
In the top of the ninth, the Aztecs sent 10 men to the plate, scoring six times against Bruin relievers Brendan Lafferty and Jason Novak on five hits, a walk and an error. The big blows in the inning were two-run doubles by both Meredith and Vaughn, the former putting SDSU ahead for the first time on the night and the second adding to the lead.
That rally made a winner of Sharp (1-1) while Lafferty (0-2) took the loss for the Bruins. Aztec closer Addison Reed came on to finish the game in the bottom of the ninth, retiring three of the four batters he faced including the final two via the strikeout.
San Diego State will now prepare for its Mountain West Conference season opener as it hosts UNLV for a three-game series beginning Friday, March 13, at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.