May 13, 2017
San Diego State scored six runs in the fifth inning to open up a seven-run lead as it went on to defeat Air Force, 18-11, Saturday afternoon at Falcon Field in Colorado Springs, Colo. The win evened the weekend series at one game apiece as SDSU looks to win its 11th (of 12) three-game weekend series this season.
With the victory, the Aztecs improved to 35-16 overall and 18-8 in the Mountain West. Air Force, meanwhile, saw its record fall to 25-23 (12-16 MW).
SDSU got on the board first on a two-run homer by Danny Sheehan in the opening inning. It was the shortstop's sixth home of the year and the first of his four hits on the afternoon. He also recorded a double along with four RBI and three runs scored in the contest.
The Falcons responded by putting four runs on the board in the bottom of the first and added two more in the second to take a 6-2 lead.
The Aztecs re-took the lead in the top of the third when they pushed five runs across to go up 7-6.Those runs came courtesy of an RBI single by Tyler Adkison, run-scoring double by David Hensley and a two-run double by Andrew Martinez with the final run coming home on a Falcon fielding error. The double by Martinez was the first of his three two-baggers in the contest.
Air Force tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning, but the deadlock didn't last long as Sheehan's two-run double in the fourth gave the visitors a 9-7 lead.
The Falcons countered with a run in the bottom of the fourth to trail by one before SDSU rallied in the top of the fifth with six runs on six hits. Included in that rally were two-RBI doubles by Adkison and Martinez plus a run-scoring single by Sheehan to forge a 15-8 advantage.
The teams traded three runs apiece over the final four innings with the end result being a seven-run victory for SDSU.
Sophomore Harrison Pyatt, who tossed five innings (third through the seventh) was credited with the win to improve to 3-2 on the year. Pyatt allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
In addition to Sheehan, two other Aztecs ended the afternoon with four hits. That duo included Martinez (3 doubles, 4 RBI, 2 runs scored) and Chase Calabuig (double, 2 RBI, 4 runs scored).
San Diego State and Air Force will conclude their weekend series on Sunday (May 14) with a game scheduled to get underway at 1:00 p.m. MT at Falcon Field.