May 27, 2016
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - San Diego State's run at the 2016 Mountain West Tournament came to an end Friday afternoon with a 5-3 loss to Nevada at Santa Ana Star Field in Albuquerque.
The loss was the second for the Aztecs in this week's double elimination event and they concluded their 2016 campaign with a record of 21-38.
Nevada led Friday's contest from start to finish as it opened the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning against SDSU starting pitcher Mike Diamond. A single and walk were cashed in on a two-run double by Trenton Brooks, who started on the mound and served as the Wolf Pack's DH as well.
Nevada made it a 3-0 game with a run in the fifth and signaled the end of the afternoon for Diamond (1-3), who would take the loss after tossing four innings and surrendering the three runs on seven hits and two walks.
The Wolf Pack tacked on another in the sixth to go up 4-0, but the Aztecs caught a break when the Wolf Pack's run in that inning involved a home run that turned into a single.
With Bryce Greager on at first, Jordan Pearce lofted a high fly ball to right field that just cleared the outfield fence. As Greager waited off first base to see the result of the hit, Pearce passed him and was immediately called out. Greager scored and the played turned into an RBI single for Pearce.
A triple by Cole Krzmarzick and double by Pearce in the bottom of the seventh made it a 5-0 lead for Nevada.
Brooks, meanwhile, was in total control on the mound. He retired the first 13 batters he faced before Spencer Thornton singled against him in the fifth. Over the first seven innings, Brooks allowed only three base runners with Denz'l Chapman reaching on an error in the sixth and Alan Trejo with a double in the seventh.
San Diego State finally broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. With two out, pinch hitter CJ Saylor singled up the middle and Chapman was hit by pitch. Justin Wylie then doubled to the alley in left center driving home both runners to make it a 5-2 contest. Nevada reliever Mark Novaczewksi then came on to record the third out of the inning.
The Aztecs tried to rally in ninth, but fell just short. Trejo and Tyler Adkison singled to begin the frame and advanced to second and third respectively on Thornton's grounder to first. David Henley then hit a hard line drive up the middle that was speared by Novaczewksi, whose throw to third to try to double up Trejo was wild and allowed the Aztec base runner to score. That made the score 5-3 with a runners at first and third after Jordan Verdon drew a walk, but the game ended on a fielder's choice and earned Novaczewksi his third save of the year.
Trejo was the lone Aztec to record more than one hit in the contest as he singled, doubled and scored once to account for two of SDSU's six hits.
Three Aztecs stood out offensively during SDSU's four games during Mountain West Tournament play. Justin Wylie hit .474 (9-for-19) with three runs scored, two doubles, a home run (the walk-off grand slam vs. San Jose State) and eight RBI.
Jordan Verdon batted .438 (7-for-16) with six runs scored, three doubles, a home run and five RBI while Tyler Adkison turned in a .375 average (6-for-16) with five runs scored, a double, triple two home runs and nine RBI.
San Diego State concluded in 2016 season by winning six of its last 10 contests and went 2-2 at the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed.