May 17, 2014
FRESNO, Calif. - San Diego State scored six times in the sixth inning to overturn a three-run deficit en route to an 11-8 victory over Fresno State in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon at Beiden Field in Fresno. With the win the Aztecs improved to 37-18 on the year and finished 17-13 in Mountain West play, good for sole possession of third place.
SDSU took its first lead of the contest in the top of the second thanks to Brad Haynal's solo home run, his 12th of the season. It marks the most homers by an Aztec since Nick Romero connected for a dozen during the 2008 season.
That lead was short-lived, however, as the Bulldogs answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the same inning off Aztec starter Mike Robards.
SDSU tied the contest in its half of the third with an unearned run. Evan Potter walked, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a wild pitch to make it a 2-2 game. But once again the Bulldogs responded, this time with three runs in the bottom of the third to take a 5-2 lead.
That three-run rally would mark the end of the game for RoBards, who left after three innings having surrendered five runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. In his place, freshman Brett Seeburger was called in from the bullpen. The first-year lefty kept FSU off the board over the next three innings allowing his teammates to rally and take the lead in the top of the sixth.
SDU's six runs in that sixth inning came courtesy of three hits including a double by Seby Zavala and RBI singles by Ryan Muno and Tim Zier plus a walk, hit batter and three Bulldog throwing errors. When the dust had settled the Aztecs found themselves with an 8-5 lead.
The visitors added two more runs in the seventh on a Muno single, RBI triple by Tyler Adkison and a sacrifice fly by Danny Sheehan, but FSU matched those markers in the bottom of the inning.
San Diego state's final run came on a RBI single by Steven Pallares in the eighth after Ty France and Haynal had singled with one out.
The Bulldogs picked up a consolation run in the bottom of the ninth for the final 11-8 score line, but they couldn't prevent Seeburger from picking up the win to improve to 2-0. Closer Michael Cederoth had come in in the seventh and pitched the final 2.2 innings allowing a run on three hits with a walk and strikeout.
Six Aztecs finished the afternoon with two hits apiece with extra-base hits being recorded by Haynal (home run), Adkison (triple) and Zavala (double).
With their third place finish in the conference standings, the Aztecs will have the No. 3 seed at next week's Mountain West Tournament at UNLV. Their first game in the tourney will come on Wednesday, May 21, when they face the winner of the 11:00 a.m. Air-Force-San Jose State contest at 3:00 p.m. at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.