March 17, 2013
FRESNO, Calif. - A triple by outfielder Steven Pallares keyed a two-run seventh inning as San Diego State rallied from a 2-1 deficit to record a 4-2 victory over Fresno State at Beiden Stadium Sunday afternoon. With the win the Aztecs captured the weekend series with the Bulldogs (4-14, 1-2 MW) and improved to 9-11 overall and 2-1 in the Mountain West.
Trailing by a run in the top of the seventh, SDSU got a leadoff single from freshman third baseman Ty France. After a failed sacrifice bunt attempt, Pallares launched a triple to right center field to bring France around to score and tie the contest at 2-2. Pallares then came home with what would prove to be the winning run on an RBI single to left center by designated hitter Mitch Bluman.
Those runs came at the expense of Fresno State starter William Munro, who would take the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year. Munro finished his day after 6.1 innings and gave up three runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Aztec senior right-hander Ryan Doran (3-2) was the beneficiary of his team's seventh-inning rally as he would be credited with the win. His six innings of work included a pair of runs on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He left the contest in the bottom of the seventh when fellow senior Ethan Miller was brought on to start the frame.
Miller would toss two innings of scoreless ball before giving way to closer Bubba Derby in the ninth. The freshman right-hander allowed a one-out double in the final frame, but then got a called third strike and a grounder to second to notch his fifth save.
The Aztecs had added an insurance run in their half of the ninth with the help of some wildness on the part of the Fresno relief corps. Jake Romanski and France were both hit by pitch by reliever Tim Borst to open the inning. After a pitching change brought Jordan Brink to the mound, a fielder's choice off the bat of Matt Muñoz retired France at second, but moved Romanski to third and he would score on a wild pitch by Brink.
Pallares would finish the contest with two hits including the triple along with an RBI and two runs scored. France would also record a pair of hits on the afternoon and scored once.
San Diego State now returns home for its next four games beginning with a contest against Long Beach State on Tuesday, March 19, at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.