March 30, 2012
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State scored nine unearned runs in the sixth inning to overturn a 6-3 deficit en route to an 18-13 win over Air Force in the opener of their three-game weekend series Friday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The victory improved the Aztec to 12-15 (1-3 Mountain West) while the Falcons fell to 6-18 (2-2 MW).
Having led 3-2 at the end of two innings, SDSU found itself trailing 6-3 after the Falcons scored three in the third and one in the fourth. The first five runs came off Aztec starter Michael Cederoth, who looked sharp over the first two innings getting five of the six outs via the strikeout. But the freshman right-hander ran into trouble in the third when he walked the first three batters of the frame and gave way to Ethan Miller out of the SDSU bullpen.
Miller would go the next five innings, allowing a pair of runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. It was enough to earn him his first win of the year and even his record at 1-1.
SDSU's nine-run sixth inning outburst came courtesy of seven hits along with five Air Force errors. The Aztecs sent 14 men to the plate in the frame and each one reached base at least once as the home side grabbed a 12-6 lead. Air Force starting pitcher Cameron White was the victim of his teams' defensive lapses as he would be charged with the loss to fall to 2-4.
After the Falcons responded with a run in the top of the seventh, SDSU added five more to its total in the bottom of the inning to go up 17-7. The visitors scored six times over the final two frames against a pair of Aztec relievers before Justin Hepner on in the top of the ninth to get the final two outs and secure the victory.
Senior Chris Wilson led the Aztec offense, collecting four hits including his fourth home run of the season, three RBI and three runs scored. Freshman third baseman Ryan Muno also had four hits, two runs scored and a pair of runs batted in. Tim Zier added three hits with a double, RBI and two runs. Eight of SDSU's starters turned in multiple-hit efforts as the team collected a season-high 12 hits on the night.
Air Force and San Diego State will continue their weekend series on Saturday (March 31) with a contest scheduled to get underway at 6:00 p.m.