May 26, 2010
SAN DIEGIO - Utah scored seven times in the fourth inning to take what proved to be an insurmountable lead as it defeated San Diego State in the 2010 Mountain West Conference opener for both teams. With the win, the Utes (23-26) move on in the winners' bracket while SDSU (28-27) must try to fight its way back into contention on the losers' side.
The Aztecs scored runs in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead. In the first, Cory Vaughn's ground out to shortstop scored Jomel Torres, who had reached on an error to open the inning. In the second, a single by Torres brought home Ryan O'Sullivan, who had singled to open the frame and advanced to second and third on Matt Parker's sac bunt and a single by Josh Chasse.
Despite taking the lead, SDSU left two men on in each of those innings, a sign of thing to come as they would have at least one base runner in every inning and leave a total of 14 stranded on the night.
Aztec starter Addison Reed opened the contest by surrendering a pair of hits, but got a double play and ground out to erase the threat. He went on to retire six in a row over the next two frames before the Utes exploded for their seven-run offensive outburst in the fourth. That rally came on five hits, three walks and a costly throwing error that made four of the runs in the inning unearned.
The big blow during that seven-run frame was a two-out bases-loaded double by Nick Kuroczko that drove home the final three runs. Kuroczko made life miserable for the Aztecs all night as he finished with five hits (including two doubles), a walk, two runs scored and five RBI.
Utah starter Rick Anton was the beneficiary of his team's seven-run inning as he would go on to record the win to improve to 7-3. Reed, who was touched up for another unearned run in the sixth, suffered his first loss since the opening day of the season and fell to 8-2.
Down 7-2, San Diego State mounted a comeback as they scored once in the fifth as Vaughn scored on an error after leading off with a double. SDSU added three more in the sixth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Brandon Meredith and a two-run double by Vaughn. The Aztec center field finished the evening with three hits including the pair of two-baggers along with three RBI.
The Aztecs' three-run rally in the sixth ended the night for Utah's Anton, who went 5.1 innings allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits. He gave way to Tyler Wagner, who gave up just a pair of walks over the final 3.2 innings while striking out five to notch his third save.
Utah added a pair of insurance runs in both the eighth and ninth innings off Aztec relievers John Pecoraro and Ryan Wynveen as it got four hits in each frame.
For San Diego State, Jomel Torres (one RBI) and Blair Moore recorded two hits apiece. With his three hits, Cory Vaughn extended his current hitting streak to 20 games, the sixth-longest in school history.
The Aztecs must now come back and play the early game on Wednesday as they will face Brigham Young at 1:00 a.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Cougars fell to UNLV, 9-1, in the tourney opener Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday's other games include UNLV vs. New Mexico at 3:00 p.m. and Utah against TCU at 7:00 p.m.