March 29, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas - San Diego State rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the ninth as it came back to defeat TCU, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. The contest was a classic pitchers duel as SDSU's Tyler Lavigne and TCU's Kyle Winkler kept the offenses at bay over the course of the game. However, it was the Aztecs who put together three hits and with the aid of an error would win the contest in their final at bat.
After taking the final two games of the weekend series, the Aztec improved to 18-9 overall and 5-3 in Mountain West Conference play as they moved into sole possession of second place in the league standings. TCU, meanwhile, saw its record fall to 15-9 (3-3 MWC).
Lavigne threw a strong seven innings for SDSU, but appeared on the verge of taking the loss after TCU scored a run in the fifth on a single by Jason Coats, a wild pitch and a two-out RBI base hit by Corey Steglich. As it turned, the junior right-hander would not be around for the final outcome after allowing the one run on just three hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
TCU's Winkler also tossed a gem, going 7.2 innings and giving up five hits and three walks while striking out three. He, too, would be gone before the final outcome of the game was decided.
Still trailing 1-0 going into the the top of the ninth, Mitch Blackburn led off the frame with a single to center and advanced to second on Easton Gust's sacrifice bunt. Ryan O'Sullivan then hit a slow grounder to short that he would beat out for single. On that play, TCU shortstop Ben Carruthers' throw to first was wild, allowing Blackburn to score from second with the tying run and O'Sullivan to go to second.
A ground ball to short accounted for the second out, but O'Sullivan was able to get to third on the play. The next batter, center fielder Pa Colwell, caught the TCU infield by surprise when, on a 2-1 pitch, he laid down a bunt toward third. Horned Frog pitcher Eric Marshall fielded the ball, but his throw to first was too late to get Colwell as O'Sullivan came in with what would prove to be the winning run.
In the bottom of the inning, Aztec closer Addison Reed came on in relief of Andrew Leary, who had taken over for Lavigne an inning earlier. Reed proceeded to retire the side in order to record his eighth save of the season. Leary was credited with the victory to even his record at 1-1 while TCU's Marshall saw his record fall to 0-2.
Although SDSU tallied eight hits on the afternoon, Colwell was the lone Aztec with more than one as he finished with a pair of singles along with the big RBI in the final frame.
Up next for San Diego State is a two-game home-and-home series against 20th-ranked UC Santa Barbara. The Aztecs will go to UCSB on Tuesday for a 2:00 p.m. (PT) game and then host the Gauchos on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium in San Diego.