April 8, 2011
SAN DIEGO - Brad Haynal`s bases-loaded double in the bottom of the seventh drove home the winning runs as San Diego State defeated Utah, 5-3, Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. It was a game that saw SDSU fall behind early then take the lead in the middle innings before rain halted the contest for over an hour. The Utes would come back to tie the game before Haynal's clutch hit propelled the Aztecs to victory.
Utah (12-11, 5-3 MWC) got on the board in the top of the first as Michael Beltran singled, stole second and scored on C.J. Cron's single to left. It was the first of four hits on the evening from Cron, who also accounted for two of his team's three runs batted in.
The Utes doubled their lead in the third as a single by Cron and walk to Shaun Cooper put two men on before Austin Shackelford's two-out single made it a 2-0 game. Both Ute runs were charged to Aztec starter Ethan Miller, who departed in the third inning after allowing five hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts over 2.1 innings.
Utah starter Rick Anton, meanwhile, held SDSU to a lone hit over the first three innings before the home side rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Brandon Meredith led off and reached first on a fielding error by shortstop James Brooks. He advanced to second and third on wild pitches before scoring on Jomel Torres' double to center. Haynal followed with a single through the left side to drive home Torres and make it a 2-2 contest.
San Diego State (10-20, 4-3 MWC) took the lead one frame later on consecutive singles by Meredith, Chris Wilson and Torres with the latter driving in his second run of the game to give the Aztecs a 3-2 lead.
With one out in the top of the sixth the rains came down and halted the contest. An hour and 10 minutes later proceedings were resumed and Utah struck for the tying run in its half of the seventh as Cron's two-out double plated Beltran to make it 3-3.
The Aztecs, however, wasted little time regaining the lead in the bottom of the same inning. They loaded the bases on a single by Pat Colwell, walk to Meredith and an intentional pass to Torres. Haynal then doubled to right to bring home Colwell and Meredith.
In the top of the eighth, SDSU senior lefty Craig Rasmussen gave up a leadoff single to Cody Guymon, but picked off pinch runner Gavin Green. It was Rasmussen's sixth pickoff of the season as he established a new San Diego State record.
Bryan Crabb closed out the game in the ninth to record his second save of the season. The win went to reliever Corey Black (1-2) while Utah's Kesley Konch took the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season. Torres (2 RBI) and Haynal (3 RBI) finished with two hits apiece including a double while Meredith scored three of SDSU's five runs.
The Utes and Aztecs continue their weekend series with a contest on Saturday, April 9, at 1:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.