March 24, 2009
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome a five-run deficit as it defeated Southern Utah, 8-7, Monday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
With freshman Ryan O'Sullivan on the mound, the Aztecs fell behind 6-0 as the visitors scored twice in the fourth and added four more in the next inning. That lead appeared safe as the home side could only muster a lone single against Southern Utah starter Alec Reichle over the first five frames.
In the sixth, the Aztecs finally broke through with a run as walks to Josh Chasse and Erik Castro were sandwiched around a single by Brandon Decker. With two outs, Chris Wilson's single to left brought home Chasse, but Decker was out at the plate on a strong throw by Thunderbird left fielder Matt Sanford.
In the eighth, SDSU got the most out of four hits, three walks and a hit batter to put seven runs on the board. After Chasse was hit by pitch to open the inning and Pat Colwell doubled, Reichle was removed from the contest in favor of reliever Jacob Noyes.
Noyes was almost immediately called for a balk, bringing Chasse home and moving Colwell to third. After a walk to Decker and a strikeout, Castro lifted a fly ball that just went off Southern Utah right fielder Ray Wright's glove for a double, allowing Decker to score and putting runners on second and third. Chris Wilson then connected on his second hit of the night, a double to right that brought home both base runners and drew the Aztecs to within 6-5.
With Wright on in relief after moving to the mound from right field, walks to Cory Vaughn and Mitch Blackburn set the stage for pinch hitter Guy Willeford to deliver a two-run double that gave SDSU its first lead of the night at 7-6. Jomel Torre's sacrifice fly brought home the seventh run of the inning, and that marker proved to be important as Wright would hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth for the final 8-7 score line.
San Diego State reliever George Snyder, who had pitched the top of the eighth, was credited with the win in what was his first appearance of the 2009 season. Andrew Leary came on in the ninth after Wright's home run to retire the next three batters and record his first save.
The Aztecs could muster only six hits on the night with two of those by freshman Catcher Chris Wilson, who also totaled three RBI and scored a run. Josh Chasse scored twice after he was walked and hit by pitch in back-to-back plate appearances.
San Diego State (15-8) and Southern Utah (10-10) will conclude their two-game series with a contest on Tuesday (March 24) scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start at Tony Gwynn Stadium.