April 7, 2012
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - San Diego State pounded out 18 hits and led from start to finish as it recorded a 9-5 victory over UNLV Saturday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The win gave SDSU a sweep of the three-game series, the first time it had swept the Rebels in a conference series in Las Vegas since the 2001 season and moved the Aztecs into a tie for second place in the Mountain West, one game behind league-leading New Mexico.
All nine SDSU starters recorded at least one hit on the day led by four apiece from Chris Wilson and Matt Muñoz. Wilson's three doubles tied the Aztec record for two-baggers in a game as he drove in a run and scored twice. Muñoz had a double among his four hits, driving in one run and scoring once. Ryan Muno also had three hits including a double with a pair of RBI and a run scored.
San Diego State opened the scoring with a run in the first as Greg Allen led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a grounder to second by Tim Zier and scored on Jomel Torres' single to center.
The Aztecs added two more in the top of the second on RBI singles by Muñoz and Allen. They made it 4-0 in the next inning when Ryan Muno drove home Wilson, who had singled to lead off the inning and reached second on Spencer Thornton's single through the right side. A Muno double and RBI single by John Spirk increased SDSU's lead to 5-0 in the sixth.
Meanwhile on the mound, Aztec starter Ryan Doran was holding the Rebels scoreless over the first five innings on just one hit. UNLV, however, got to the junior right-hander in the sixth, scoring twice on three hits and a walk before Ethan Miller came on in relief to get the final out of the inning.
SDSU answered back quickly with a run in the top of the seventh on a double by Wilson and run-scoring single by Muno that made it a 6-2 contest.
The Aztecs extended their advantage to 9-2 with three more in the eighth on RBI base hits by Zier, Torres and Wilson.
Trailing by seven, UNLV looked to get back into the contest in the bottom of the inning as three doubles and a single closed the gap to 9-5. With two out and two on, SDSU summoned Justin Hepner from the bullpen and he delivered a strikeout to end the threat. The junior right-hander would close out the game one inning later to notch his sixth save of the year and second in two days.
Doran (2-3) picked up the win after tossing 5.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. UNLV starter Erick Fedde would take the loss to fall to 2-3.
San Diego State now returns home and will play five games in seven days next week starting with a contest against the University of San Diego on Monday (April 9) at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.