March 25, 2018
LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State baseball team exploded for 22 runs and 23 hits in a 22-7 drubbing of UNLV on Sunday, leaving the Aztecs with its fifth consecutive weekend series win and now have sole possession of second place in the Mountain West, sitting just a half-game back of Nevada (7-2 MW), which defeated Fresno State earlier today. The Aztecs improve to 16-7 on the year (6-2 MW), while UNLV falls to 20-5 (6-3 MW).
SDSU opened the scoring with a two-run home run by Chad Bible in the top of the first. It was Bible's third consecutive game with a home run, and he now leads the team with five home runs on the season.
The Aztecs continued the scoring in the third after UNLV posted a three-run bottom of the first to take a brief 3-2 lead. SDSU regained its lead after Jordan Verdon hit a grand slam to take a 6-3 lead, and in the ensuing at-bat, Dean Nevarez homered to make it back-to-back home runs and create a 7-3 SDSU lead.
The Aztecs would not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the game despite allowing two runs in the bottom of the third, a run in the fourth, and a run in the seventh.
SDSU broke things wide open with a seven-run fourth inning, including a Verdon 2-RBI double, a 2-RBI single by Escobedo, an RBI single by Jacob Maekawa, and an RBI double by David Hensley. After SDSU held a 14-5 lead after three and a half innings, SDSU grew that lead to 18-6 after a three-run fifth inning and a sacrifice fly by Escobedo in the sixth.
A three-run home run by Chase Calabuig highlighted the seventh inning and brought SDSU's lead to 21-6. After UNLV posted a run in the home half of the seventh, Calabuig followed his home run with an RBI single in the ninth to score Hensley and bring the score to its final, 22-7.
SDSU scored in seven of a nine possible frames in the contest. All nine starters registered at least one hit and scored at least one run, while eight of nine starters posted at least one RBI. Verdon logged a career-high five hits and six RBIs in a 5-for-7 showing at the plate to lead the offense. Matt Rudick (2-for-4, 2 runs), David Hensley (3-for-5, 3 runs, RBI), Chase Calabuig (3-for-6, 4 RBIs, 3 runs), Chad Bible (2-for-5, 4 runs, 2 RBIs), Julian Escobedo (3-for-5, 2 runs, 4 RBI), and Casey Schmitt (2-for-6, 1 run, RBI), also logged multi-hit performances.
On the mound, Daniel Ritcheson earned his second win of the season, allowing three runs on five hits during two innings of work. Justin Goossen-Brown (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H), Casey O'Sullivan (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R) and David Hensley (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R), who made his first career pitching appearance, all contributed scoreless outings for the Aztecs.
NOTES
- San Diego State's 39 runs over its last two games is the most over a two-game span since scoring 43 against Air Force from May 5-6, 2006. It is the first time since 2003, when SDSU defeated Air Force 19-2 and 18-4 on March 23, 2003, and March 22, 2003, respectively, that the Aztecs have scored 17 or more runs in back-to-back games.
- The Aztecs improve to 9-2 in its last 11 games in Las Vegas.
- Chad Bible became the first SDSU player since Danny Sheehan and Seby Zavala (both homered in three consecutive games from May 22-23, 2015) to hit a home run in three consecutive games.
- Chad Bible owns a .457/.500/.971 slash line in Mountain West action with a team-high five home runs and 12 RBIs. He also leads the team with 16 total hits and 11 runs scored in MW play.
- San Diego State's 22 runs are tied for the most runs scored in a game since defeating Air Force 31-0 on April 22, 2007.
- SDSU's 22 runs against UNLV is tied for most runs the Aztecs have ever scored against the Rebels in 149 all-time meetings. The Aztecs also scored 22 in a 22-1 win over UNLV on March 29, 1997.
- The Aztecs now lead the all-time series against UNLV, 88-61. It is the fourth consecutive series win against UNLV. In all four of the last series wins, the Aztecs dropped the series opener but won the final two games of the series to complete a comeback series win.
- SDSU has scored 111 runs in its last nine meetings against UNLV, good for a 12.3 runs per game average.
- Jordan Verdon's 6-RBI performance is the most by an Aztec since Steven Pallares drove in eight runs against Air Force on March 21, 2015.
- SDSU has won all five of its 2018 weekend series, 11 of its last 13 Mountain West series, and 16 of its last 18 weekend series overall.
- SDSU is now 5-4 in its last nine games against top 25 opponents.
- The SDSU lineup recorded season-highs in at-bats (51), runs scored (22), hits (23), RBIs (21), home runs (4) and total bases (39).
- SDSU won its 22nd consecutive game when scoring five or more runs and its 63rd consecutive game when leading after eight innings.
- In just the last two games, SDSU raised its season batting average from .282 to .300, its season slugging percentage from .403 to .447, and its season on-base percentage from .355 to .373.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs make a trip to Long Beach State for a Tuesday contest at 6:00 p.m. this week. Next weekend, the Aztecs are at home against Mountain West foe New Mexico.