March 20, 2016
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Big innings were the common theme for both teams on Sunday, but San Diego State came up on the short end as it dropped a 17-13 decision in the first game of a doubleheader at Air Force. The second contest saw the Falcons again strike for multiple runs in a big inning and hold a 10-7 advantage before the game was suspended due to SDSU's travel arrangements. That contest will be completed when Air Force visits Tony Gwynn Stadium in May.
With the victory in the opener, the Falcons improved to 10-4 on the year and 4-1 in Mountain West play. The Aztecs, meanwhile, saw their record drop to 4-13 overall and 1-3 in conference action.
Air Force jumped on SDSU starting pitcher Harrison Pyatt early, touching up the redshirt freshman for four runs in the bottom of the second on four hits including a two-run homer by Tyler Jones. It would be the first of three round-trippers in the contest for Jones, who ended the contest with six RBI.
Things got worse for the Aztecs two frames later when the Falcons struck for 11 runs on 13 hits with the help of a pair of SDSU errors to go up 15-0 after four.
Trailing 16-3 at the end of six innings, San Diego State attempted to mount a comeback by putting together a nine-run rally in the top of the seventh. SDSU had only six hits in the frame, but two of those were a single and two-run homer by Tyler Adkison along with a single and two-RBI double by Spencer Thornton. Three walks and a Falcon error added to the rally as the Aztecs closed to within four runs at 16-12.
But that's as close as the visitors would get as Air Force added a run in its half of the eighth and SDSU got a solo homer from Adkison in the ninth for the final 17-13 score line.
Falcon starter Griffin Jax allowed just three of SDSU's runs (one earned) on three hits over his six innings of work to pick up the win and improve to 4-1. Pyatt took the loss to fall to 0-1.
Adkison (two HR, 3 RBI) and Thornton (2 doubles, 2 RBI) finished the contest with three this apiece to lead the Aztec offense.
Game two started well for the Aztecs, who found themselves with a 6-3 lead midway through the contest after adding three to their total in the top of the fifth.
But Air Force again flexed some offensive muscle as it rallied for seven runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 10-6 lead. Five of those markers came against SDSU starter Brett Seeburger while the final two were scored with Aztec freshman Chris Collins on the mound.
The Aztecs got one run back in the next inning on an RBI single by CJ Saylor to make it 10-7, and that's where the score stood when the game was suspended. When the game resumes at SDSU later in the seasons, it will begin in the top of the eighth with two out, Jordan Verdon at first base and Andrew Brown at the plate.
Thus far in the contest Saylor has recorded three hits including a double and RBI while Justin Wylie, Dean Nevarez and Thornton have two hits and an RBI each.
San Diego State will now return home and take a break from Mountain West action as it hosts UC Riverside on Tuesday, March 22, for a contest scheduled to get underway at 6:00 p.m. (PT) at Tony Gwynn Stadium.