Feb. 27, 2016
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Kentucky limited San Diego State to just two hits while getting timely hits of its own as it defeated San Diego State, 6-0, Saturday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The win improved the No. 22 (Baseball America) Wildcats to 3-2 while the Aztecs lost for the sixth time in their first seven outings of the season.
Kentucky stating pitcher Dustin Beggs kept SDSU off balance all evening as he completed eight full innings allowing the two hits and a walk while striking out 10. The performance earned Beggs the victory as he improved to 2-0 on the season and lowered his ERA to 0.64.
Only Spencer Thornton and Alan Trejo recorded singles for San Diego State which also put runners on with two walks, a hit batter and en error. The Aztecs did not put more than one man on base in any inning and only one of those runners reached as far as second base.
SDSU starter Cody Thompson tossed three shutout innings before running into trouble in the third. A single and hit batter put two men on before Wildcat shortstop Riley Mahan sent a pitch over the right field fence to give Kentucky a 3-0 lead. Those were all the runs UK would need as they sent Thompson (0-2) to his second loss of 2016.
After surrendering the home run, Thompson retired the ensuing seven batters he faced until opening the seventh inning by walking the first two Wildcat hitters he faced. Harrison Pyatt was called on in relief, but Kentucky used another walk, a double and a dropped fly ball in center field to plate three more runs and make it a 6-0 contest.
Sean Hjelle, a 6-11 right-hander, came on to pitch the final inning for Kentucky, and after a one-out walk got a double play to end the contest in his team's favor.
San Diego state will conclude action at the 2016 Tony Gwynn Classic with a contest against Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 2:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. That game will be preceded by the tourney championship between UC Santa Barbara and University of San Diego at 10:00 a.m.