March 17, 2017
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State was unable to overcome an early five-run deficit as it dropped a 5-3 decision to UNLV Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. With the loss, the Aztecs saw their record drop to 11-6 overall and 2-2 in the Mountain West.
UNLV (10-9, 5-2 MW) got to SDSU senior starter Brett Seeburger for three runs in the top of the first. It marked the 14th time in 17 games this season that either SDSU or its opponent scored in the opening frame.
The Rebels would add three more in their half of the fourth to open up a 5-0 lead. Those runs, all off the SDSU starter, meant Seeburger would suffer his first defeat of the year and see his record fall to 3-1. He would eventually go seven full innings allowing the five runs on nine hits with no walks and six strikeouts. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced from the fourth inning on.
The Aztecs got on the board with a run in the bottom of the fourth as Jordan Verdon led off with a walk and was followed by a single from Andrew Martinez. After the runners moved to second and third respectively on a sacrifice bunt by David Hensley, a fielder's choice by Tyler Adkison scored Verdon form third.
SDSU's second run came in its half of the seventh as Alan Trejo doubled with a pop fly behind first that could not be handled by the Rebel second baseman. Andrew Brown then singled to right to make it a 5-2 contest.
San Diego State's third run came in the eighth when Adkison's single to right scored Hensley from second base to close the gap to two runs. That's as close as the Aztecs would get, however, as UNLV closer Brian Menendez came on to toss the final 1.1 innings and pick up his second save of the season.
Andrew Brown led the SDSU offense on the night with three singles and a run batted in. Five other Aztecs tallied one hit apiece, all singles with the exception of Trejo's two-bagger.
San Diego State and UNLV will continue their three-game series on Saturday, March 18, with a contest skated to get underway at 1:00 p.m. PT at Tony Gwynn Stadium.