March 25, 2014
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Senior shortstop Evan Potter set a school record with four doubles as he helped lead San Diego State to a 12-4 victory over visiting Santa Clara Tuesday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. With the win the Aztecs improved to 18-6 while the loss dropped the Broncos to 9-15.
Along with becoming the first SDSU player to hit four doubles in a game, Potter also had two RBI and scored twice in his four plate appearances. Teammate Brad Haynal finished the evening with four hits including a solo home run and a two-run triple for three RBI.
Four other Aztecs had two hits apiece including Greg Allen (two RBI, three runs scored, three stolen bases), Tim Zier (two RBI, run scored, two stolen bases), Seby Zavala (run scored) and Spencer Thornton (run scored).
Senior right-hander TJ Kendzora turned in a solid effort on the mound as he completed six innings of work allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. That performance earned him the win as he improved to 3-0 on the season.
San Diego State actually had to come from behind twice early in the contest. A solo home run by SCU's Quinton Perry in the top of the second gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. Haynal, however, canceled out that run with a solo homer of his own in the bottom of the frame to tie the contest at 1-1.
Santa Clara (9-15) then took a 2-1 lead with a marker in the top of the third, but the Aztecs answered with two in the bottom of the same inning on Potter's first double, an RBI single by Allen and a ground out by Zier to bring Allen home.
San Diego State then took control of the contest by putting five runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of Potter's two-RBI double, run scoring singles by Allen and Zier plus a wild pitch that scored the final run of the frame and gave the home side an 8-2 lead.
Three more Aztec runs came in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Ty France and Haynal's triple to right center, his first of the year, that drove home a pair of runs.
Reliever Justin Hepner tossed the seventh and eighth innings and was charged with a run on one hit with two strikeouts. Freshman Orlando Meza came onto pitch the final inning and allowed two runners on a hit batter and a walk, but struck out the side to nail down the win for his team.
Santa Clara and San Diego State will wrap up their two-game mid-week series with a contest on Wednesday (Mar. 26) scheduled to get underway at 3:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.