May 11, 2014
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - San Diego State scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to break a 2-2 deadlock and went on to defeat UNLV, 3-2, in the rubber game of their three-game weekend series Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. With the win the Aztecs' record moved to 35-17 overall and 15-12 in the Mountain West as they improved to 14-2 in one-run games this season.
The contest was the final home game of the 2014 campaign for SDSU as it ended with a 24-5 record on its home field this season. It marked the team's best record at home since the NCAA went to the 56-game schedule in 1991. The 1983 squad went 40-4 at Charlie Smith Field before the NCAA put a limit on the number of games a team could play.
On Sunday, San Diego State took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in its half of the second. Steven Pallares singled with one out, stole second and scored on Ryan Muno's double down the right field line during which he advanced to third on an errant throw by the Rebel right fielder. Tyler Adkison then lofted a fly ball to deep center field to score Muno and give the home side the two-run advantage.
UNLV (30-20, 17-10 MW) came back to tie the contest with unearned runs in both the fourth and sixth innings against Aztec starter Mike Robards. The Aztec left-hander would go 7.1 innings allowing the two runs on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. He would eventually be credited with the win to improve to 5-4 after his teammates tallied the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
That sixth inning rally began with a leadoff double to left center by Tim Zier. The senior second baseman then went to third on Brad Haynal's fly out to center and scored on a ground out to third base by Seby Zavala.
After RoBards struck out the first batter in the top of the eighth he departed the contest with closer Michael Cederoth making his second appearance in two days. Cederoth would keep the Rebels scoreless and close out the game to record his 19th save of the season. That mark is one shy of the SDSU record for saves in a season set by Addison Reed during the 2008 campaign.
The result moves the Aztecs into a tie for third place with Nevada in the league standings with three contests remaining in the regular season.
SDSU will conclude the regular season with a three-game series at Fresno State that begins on Thursday, May 15, at 6:30 p.m. at FSU's Beiden Field.