April 21, 2009
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State used three home runs and a solid pitching performance by freshman right-hander Ryan O'Sullivan as it defeated Long Beach State, 6-3, Tuesday night at home. The win also marked a milestone for Aztec head coach Tony Gwynn as it was his 200th victory since taking the reins of the SDSU baseball program seven years ago.
The victory ended a short two-game losing streak for 19th-ranked San Diego State as it improved to 27-15. Long Beach State, meanwhile, saw its record fall to 17-19.
O'Sullivan, who had not made an appearance on the mound since April 1, went a season-high eight innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts. With the win he evened his record at 2-2.
After LBSU's Jonathan Jones put his team ahead with a solo homer in the top of the third, San Diego State responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. After a walk to Brandon Decker and double to center by Brandon Meredith put runners on second and third with one out, a balk by 49er pitcher Jason Markovitz brought home Decker to tie the score at one-all.
A walk to Erik Castro then put men on first and third before Cory Vaughn hit a high chopper to third that went for an infield single and allowed Meredith to score to make it a 2-1 game. Markovitz (1-1), the second of six hurlers used by the 49ers in the contest, would eventually be saddled with the loss as the Aztecs would not relinquish their lead the rest of the evening.
In the next inning, Josh Chasse connected for his third homer of the season, a solo shot to left center to give SDSU a 3-1 lead. In the fifth, Castro's one-out single was followed by the first of Vaughn's two home runs on the night to make it 5-1.
After Long Beach State scratched out a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to close to within two at 5-3, Vaughn led off the bottom of the eight and sent a line drive over the left field fence for his second round-tripper of the contest. He would finish the evening with three hits, two runs scored and four runs batted in.
Sophomore closer Addison Reed came on in relief to start the ninth to record his nation-leading 13th save of the year.
The Aztecs return to Mountain West Conference action with a three-game series against 16th-ranked TCU that gets underway on Friday, April 24, at 6:00 p.m. (PT) at Tony Gwynn Stadium with Stephen Strasburg schedule to start that contest on the mound for SDSU. Tickets for that contest may be purchased at the Aztec athletic web site (www.GoAztecs.com), over the phone (619-283-7378) or in person at the Aztec ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium Window E.