Feb. 25, 2015
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A bases-loaded walk to freshman Justin Wylie in the bottom of the 13th inning forced home the winning run as San Diego State defeated the University of San Diego, 5-4, Tuesday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. With the win the Aztecs improved to 8-1 on the season while the Toreros dropped to 2-6.
USD had forced extra frames when it tied the contest in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch to make it 4-4. That came after SDSU had taken the lead with a run in the bottom of the previous inning.
The Aztecs struck first in the contest with a run in the opening inning. Steven Pallares led off with a single, advanced to second on a ground out by Danny Sheehan and went to third when an attempted pickoff at second bounced into center field. He scored on a bunt by Ty France to give the home side a quick 1-0 lead.
USD answered with two runs of its own in the top of the second, only to see SDSU knot the score in the bottom of that frame. Chase Calabuig's two-out single brought home Seby Zavala who had singled with one out and gone to second on an intentional walk to Andrew Brown.
San Diego State re-took the lead in the fourth on Sheehan's sacrifice fly only to see the Toreros make it a 3-3 contest with a marker in the seventh.
The Aztecs went ahead once again with a run in their half of the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Pallares, but couldn't hold the lead as USD tied it up in its final at bat in regulation.
SDSU had a runner thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the 10th, but would not be denied three innings later. Sheehan and France opened the 13th with singles, and after a sacrifice bunt by Zavala the Toreros intentionally walked Ryan Muno to load the bases with one out.
USD reliever Anthony McIver got a pop out to second for out number two, but issued the walk to Wylie on a 3-2 count to bring home Sheehan with the game-winning run.
Zack Oakley, who had come on to pitch in the top of the inning, was credited with the win to improve to 2-0. McIver was saddled with the loss and saw his record drop to 0-2.
Pallares and Sheehan ended the night with three hits apiece along with an RBI and run scored. Five other Aztecs tallied two hits apiece as the team totaled 17 for the game.
San Diego state will now prepare to open its 2015 Mountain West Conference campaign as it hosts a three-game series against San Jose State this weekend. The Aztecs and Spartans will begin that set with a game on Friday, Feb. 27, at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn stadium.