April 30, 2011
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - San Diego State overcame an early grand slam by Western Carolina as it rallied to defeat the Catamounts, 11-5, Saturday afternoon at Hennon Stadium in Cullowhee, N.C. The win was the second straight over WCU for the Aztecs who improved to 14-29.
Right fielder Brandon Meredith was San Diego State's offensive leader as he recorded his first four-hit game of the season with a single, two doubles and a home run as he finished with three runs batted in and three runs scored. He also reached on a hit by pitch in his other plate appearance.
The Aztec got on the board first with a run in the top of the fourth when Meredith led off with a double, advanced to second on a grounder to first by Jomel Torres and scored on Tim Zier's two-out single.
Western Carolina (17-23-1) wasted little time in answering as they got to SDSU starting pitcher Cole Swanson in the bottom of the same inning. After WCU loaded the base with one out on a pair of singles and a walk, Adam Martin hit a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence to make it a 4-1 game.
The Aztecs tied the game in the next frame, scoring three times on two hits, a walk and a throwing error. After Cody Slader walked, Evan Potter's sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown away by third baseman Austin Schultz allowing Slader to score and Potter to get to third. An infield single by Cody Smith brought Potter home before a sac bunt by Pat Colwell and single to left by Meredith plated Smith with the tying run.
The Catamounts regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a run to go up 5-4, but that would end their scoring for the remainder of the contest. San Diego would go on to score seven unanswered run over the final three innings beginning with four unearned markers in the top of the seventh.
With one out, a single by Colwell and double by Meredith ended the afternoon for WCU starter Jordan Smith. When that duo scored the tying and go-ahead runs later in the inning it sealed Smith's fate as he would take the loss to fall to 5-5. Reliever Vance Chavis came on and walked Torres to load the base before giving way to Andrew Chilcoat.
Chilcoat got the second out, but an error by shortstop Aaron Attaway on a grounder by Zier allowed Colwell to score and tie the game at 5-5. A wild pitch brought home Meredith and a double to left center by pinch hitter Dillon Bryant drove home Torres and Zier as SDSU went up 8-5.
Western Carolina threatened an immediate reply as it put two men with one out on against SDSU's Cole Swanson in the bottom of the inning. Mike Hachadorian was summoned from the bullpen and gave up a single to load the bases before striking out the next two batters to end the threat.
Swanson, who went 6.1 innings allowing five runs on seven this with two walks and two strikeouts, would be credited with the win to improve to 3-1. Hachadorian would finish out the final two innings and give up a lone single in the ninth as he notched his first save of the year.
SDSU added a pair of runs in the eighth on Meredith's two-run homer to left and one more in the final frame on an RBI single by Evan Potter.
The Aztecs and Catamounts will conclude their three-game series on Sunday (May 1) with a contest scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. (ET) start.