March 19, 2009
SAN DIEGO - One night after it was held to just three hits, the San Diego State offense exploded for 18 as it defeated Kansas, 9-8, to complete a two-game sweep of the Jayhawks. But it was a pair of key singles in the final two innings that enabled the Aztecs to come back and win a game which they had led for most of the night.
Chris Wilson's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth brought home Ryan O'Sullivan with the tying run and Guy Willeford's bases-loaded pinch hit single in the ninth made a winner of right-hander Kegan Sharp, who improved to 2-1 on the season.
The win was the sixth in a row and ninth in the last 10 games for San Diego State, which improved to 13-6. Kansas, which had lost a 1-0 pitchers duel to the Aztecs on Tuesday, saw its record fall to 10-7.
SDSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead by stringing together five straight singles with two outs in the bottom of the second. Brandon Meredith's bases-loaded hit brought home two runs and was followed by an RBI a single by Erik Castro.
San Diego State pitcher Goldy Simmons, a transfer from nearby San Diego City JC who was making his first collegiate start, had things under control over the first three frames as he allowed one hit while striking out three. But in the top of the fourth a leadoff walk set the stage for a two-run homer by KU's Buck Afenir to makes it a 2-3 game. An ensuing single by Tony Thompson ended Simmons' evening and began a parade of five Aztec relievers over the remaining six frames.
After the visitors knotted the score in the fifth, SDSU put together another three-run rally in the bottom the inning to take a 6-3 lead. Those runs came courtesy of an RBI single by Pat Colwell, a run-scoring double by Castro and a sacrifice fly by Cory Vaughn.
Kansas closed the gap to a single run as it outscored the Aztecs four-to-one over the next three innings to trail 7-6 at the end of seven. The Jayhawks then grabbed their first lead of the night at 8-7 with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth.
In the bottom of that inning Ryan O'Sullivan led off with an infield single off Kansas closer Paul Smyth and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring the tying run on Chris Wilson's single to right. It was Wilson's fourth hit of the evening as he finished with three singles and a double and scored three rimes.
After Kegan Sharp held the Jayhawks scoreless in the top of the ninth, SDSU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning on a single to center by Castro, an infield single by Vaughn and an intentional walk to O'Sullivan. Guy Willeford then singled over the drawn in left fielder to bring home the winning run and make a loser of Smyth (0-3).
In addition to Wilson, two other Aztecs had four-hit nights. Leadoff hitter Pat Colwell went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI while Erik Castro was also 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
San Diego State now resumes Mountain West Conference play when it hosts Brigham Young for a three-game series beginning Thursday (March 19) at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.