Feb. 21, 2016
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A.J. Balta's three-run homer in the top of the eighth broke a 1-1 deadlock and proved to be the difference as Oregon defeated San Diego State, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwyn Stadium. The victory completed a weekend sweep of the Aztec for the Ducks, who improved to 3-0 while SDSU dropped to 0-3.
Oregon took the early lead in the contest when catcher Tim Susnara lofted a Brett Seeburger pitch over the right field fence to stake the visitors to a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second inning.
Seeburger would go on to toss 5.1 innings in the contest allowing the one run on four hits while walking none and striking out five.
Duck's starter David Peterson went five innings allowing a run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. But neither he nor Seeburger were around at the end of the contest to be involved in the decision.
The Aztecs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a run against Peterson. A walk to David Hensley and double by Tyler Adkison put runners at second and third with one out. CJ Saylor then hit a ball up the middle, but with the shift on, second baseman Daniel Patzlaff field the ball behind second base only to see his throw sail wide of first allowing Hensley to score.
The contest remained tied at 1-1 until the top of the eighth when Oregon put a two men on base with two outs on a walk and single against Aztec reliever Brian Heldman. Freshman reliever Dominic Purpura was then summoned to the mound only to see his first delivery deposited over the right field fence by Balta to give the Ducks a 4-1 lead.
San Diego State, however, responded in the bottom of the inning on single by Andrew Brown followed by a home run to right by Spencer Thornton to make it a one-run contest at 4-3.
But that's as close as the Aztecs would get as Duck closer Stephen Nogosek retired five on the final six natter he faced after coming ion in relief after Thornton's home run.
The win went to Oregon reliever Jacob Bennet (1-0) with Nogosek picking up his first save of the season. Heldman was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-1.
Freshman Jordan Verdon along with Brown finished with two hits on the day for SDSU with Thornton (two) and Saylor (one) driving in SDSU's runs.
Up next for the Aztecs is a short trip north to face UC Irvine on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark.