April 24, 2009
SAN DIEGO - Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 over seven innings while picking up his ninth win of the season, but 19th-ranked San Diego State had to hang on late for a 4-3 win over No. 16 TCU Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The contest drew a record crowd of 3,072 fans, the largest gathering ever to witness a college game at the Aztecs' home venue.
Strasburg went seven innings, allowing three hits and walking only one while setting a couple of school and Mountain West Conference strikeout records. But the game had its tense moments for the home side as a three-run homer off the junior right-hander late in the game canceled out most of SDSU's 4-0 lead at the time.
San Diego State built its early advantage with three runs off Horned Frog starter Sean Hoelscher in the second inning that came courtesy of a pair of hits, three walks and a throwing error. Easton Gust drove in the Aztecs' opening run with Brandon Decker's two-run single accounting for two RBI to make it a 3-0 contest.
In the sixth, a hit batter and walk ended Hoelscher's night as he was relieved by Trent Appleby, who was promptly greeted by another RBI single by Decker. That made the score 4-0 and the lead appeared safe as Strasburg had allowed only one hit through the first six frames.
However, in the seventh, back-to-back singles by Chris Ellington and Matt Vern set the table for Bryan Holaday, who followed with a home run over the left field fence to make the score 4-3.
Strasburg then struck out the next two batters to end the inning and conclude his night with 14 K's. Along the way he set new SDSU and Mountain West Conference records for strikeouts in a season (135) and career (315).
Junior Andrew Leary came out of the bullpen to relieve Strasburg in the eighth, but ran into trouble as a single by Taylor Featherston and double by Matt Carpenter put runners on second and third with one out. After striking out the next hitter, the Aztecs issued an intentional walk to Vern before sophomore closer Addison Reed came on retire pinch hitter Jimmie Pharr on a called third strike to end the threat.
Reed went on to get the side in order in the ninth (including striking out the final two TCU batters) to record his nation-leading 14th save of the season. With the victory, Strasburg's record improved to 9-0 while Hoelscher took the loss to even his record at 2-2.
SDSU's Brandon Decker was the lone Aztec with more than one hit on the night as he tallied three singles and drove in three of his team's four runs.
TCU and San Diego State continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday, April 25, with a single game scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. (PT) start at Tony Gwynn Stadium.