March 24, 2018
LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State baseball team used a season-high 17 runs to defeat UNLV, 17-8, at Earl E. Wilson Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Aztecs now even the weekend series heading into tomorrow's rubber game and improve to 15-7 (5-2 MW), while the Rebels fall to 20-4 (6-2 MW).
The Aztecs quickly grabbed a 6-0 lead, recording a pair of runs in the first before scoring four in the second.
Chad Bible and Jordan Verdon each drove in a run in the top of the first to build an early 2-0 lead. After SDSU starter Garrett Hill posted a scoreless first inning, the Aztecs broke things open offensively, posting a four-run, three-hit second inning featuring RBI doubles from Casey Schmitt and Bible.
The Aztecs scored for the third consecutive frame in the top half of the third, using another Schmitt RBI double to bring in Julian Escobedo and build the lead to 7-1.
After the SDSU lineup went scoreless in the top of the fourth - the only frame the Aztecs failed to score a run - Schmitt logged his third RBI of the day on a groundout to shortstop to score Dean Nevarez.
The Aztecs continued its relentless offensive pressure in the top of the sixth, using back-to-back home runs by Bible and Verdon for an 11-2 lead.
UNLV cut SDSU's lead to six with a four-run bottom of the sixth, but the Aztecs built its lead back up to 14-6 with Jacob Maekawa's first career home run - a 2-RBI shot over the wall in left-centerfield - and a Chase Calabuig RBI on a 4-3 groundout.
SDSU wrapped up its biggest offensive day of the season with a run in the eighth with a Schmitt RBI single and a pair of runs in the ninth featuring RBI doubles from Verdon and Calabuig.
Christian Winston posted a pair of scoreless frames for the Aztecs to end the game, allowing just one hit over the eighth and ninth innings while striking out two.
All nine Aztecs in the starting lineup reached base and eight of nine recorded at least one hit. Bible (4-for-6, 4 RBIs) and Schmitt (4-for-5, 4 RBIs) combined for eight of SDSU's season-high 18 hits and eight of SDSU's season-high 15 RBIs. Other players with multi-hit performances included Verdon (3-for-6, 3 RBIs), Julian Escobedo (2-for-4) and David Hensley (2-for-4).
NOTES
- The Aztecs improve to 8-2 in its last 10 games in Las Vegas.
- The Aztecs have scored 89 runs in its last eight games against UNLV, good for 11.13 runs per game.
- Through the first seven games of conference play, Chad Bible is hitting .467 (14-for-30) with four home runs, seven runs scored, and 10 RBI. He leads the team in all four categories so far in MW action.
- Garrett Hill saw a 21.1 inning scoreless streak come to an end in the bottom of the second inning. It was the first run Hill has allowed in conference play this season. On the year, Hill is 5-0 with a 1.32 ERA in addition to a 3-0 record and 0.98 ERA in Mountain West play.
- With tying the series at one game each after Saturday's win, the Aztecs will go for its fourth consecutive series win against the Rebels. Entering the weekend, the Aztecs have won all four of its weekend series in 2018, 10 of its last 12 Mountain West series, and 15 of its last 17 weekend series overall.
- With the win, the Aztecs earn its first victory over a nationally ranked opponent since defeating No. 25 San Diego 10-1 on March 14, 2017.
- SDSU is now 4-4 in its last eight games against top 25 opponents.
- The SDSU lineup recorded or tied season-highs in runs (17), at-bats (44), hits (18), RBIs (15), doubles (eight), home runs (three), total bases (35), and walks (seven).
- SDSU won its 21st consecutive game when scoring five or more runs and its 62nd consecutive game when leading after eight innings.
UP NEXT
Tomorrow's rubber game against UNLV is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Following the series finale against the Rebels, the Aztecs make a trip north for a Tuesday contest at Long Beach State.