March 30, 2014
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Ty France doubled home Tim Zier in the top of the sixth and a pair of SDSU pitchers made that run stand up as San Diego State shut out Fresno State, 1-0, to capture the third game of their three-game weekend series Sunday afternoon. The victory improved the Aztecs to 21-7 overall and 7-5 in the Mountain West as they claimed their sixth series win of the season.
The contest was a classic pitchers' duel between FSU's Jimmy Lambert and SDSU's Mark Seyler. Both teams had chances to put runs on board over the first five frames, but neither could get the clutch hit it needed to take the lead.
Fresno State's (16-12, 6-6 MW) best opportunity came in the top of the second when it had the bases loaded with two out. San Diego State had runners at second and third with two out in the fourth. In both cases the pitchers were able to work out of the jam and keep the contest scoreless.
In the bottom of the sixth, Zier singled to right center with two out. France followed with a double in the right centerfield gap that brought Zier home from first with the lone run of the contest. That would mark the final inning for Lambert with his stat line reading six innings pitched with a run allowed on five hits, two walks and three strikeouts as he would be saddled with the loss to fall to 1-3.
As good as Lambert was, Seyler proved superior as he tossed 7.2 innings of shutout ball scattering three hits and one walk while striking out eight, one shy of his season high. With the victory he upped his record to 5-2 while lowering his earned run average to 2.66.
After Seyler issued a two-out walk in the top of the eighth, the Aztecs called on closer Michael Cederoth to take over on the mound. The junior right-hander allowed a single to the first batter he faced and then got a called third strike to end the threat. Cederoth retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to register his 11th save of the season to move into a tie for the national lead in that category with Michael Moore of UC Irvine.
San Diego State will now take a short break from Mountain West action as it travels across town on Tuesday, Apr. 1, to face the University of San Diego at 6:00 p.m. at Fowler Park.