ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Shortstop Cole Carrigg and outfielder Shaun Montoya combined for 10 hits and six RBIs on Friday, as San Diego State withstood a late New Mexico rally to post a thrilling 14-13 victory at Santa Ana Star Field.
Nursing a slim 9-8 lead, the Aztecs (9-25, 3-14 MW) scored five unearned runs in a decisive seventh-inning outburst, capitalizing on two errors by the Lobos (14-20, 6-11 MW) to help secure their first series win of the 2022 campaign.
SDSU tied its season high for runs scored after pounding out 18 hits for the second straight night; however, the Scarlet and Black had to endure a four-homer barrage from UNM, including three by Braydon Runion himself to eke out the victory.
Nevertheless, the Aztecs flashed their resiliency, as eight starters finished with at least one hit, while six scored at least one run, including three each by Carrigg, Montoya and Poncho Ruiz.
Carrigg (6-6) set career highs with six hits and four RBIs, while Montoya added four hits of his own to go with a pair of RBIs. In addition, SDSU terrorized the base paths with eight steals, including a personal-best three swipes by Irvin Weems, while Carrigg and Johnny Giannola posted two apiece.
With the score tied at 8-8, the Aztecs took the lead for good in the top of the sixth when Ruiz scored on Carrigg's single to center field. Previously, Ruiz was plunked on a 3-2 offering from reliever Brian McBroom and promptly took second on a wild pitch.
McBroom appeared poised to survive the seventh unscathed despite giving up a one-out single to Deron Johnson, who advanced to second when Tino Bethancourt got aboard on a fielding error by second baseman Kamron Willman.
After inducing a pop out, however, McBroom allowed four straight batters to reach, including Montoya, who plated Johnson with a single, while Carrigg followed with a base hit up the middle to score Bethancourt and Montoya. Moments later, Carrigg crossed the plate on a throwing error after Weems' single to right, which also brought in Ruiz, who previously walked.
Trailing 14-8, the Lobos began to whittle away at the deficit in their half of the seventh, as Runion led off with a solo home run, while Chase Weissenborn added an RBI single.
New Mexico narrowed the gap to 14-12 in the eighth when Runion went yard again, this time with a two-run blast, driving in Lenny Junior Ashby, who laced a double down the right-field line with one out.
The stage was now set for a thrilling conclusion in the bottom of the ninth after Lance Russell reached on a fielding error at third base, while pinch hitter Kyle Landers was struck by a pitch after reliever Kelena Sauer struck out Cody Holtz. Moments later, Sauer fanned Sean Stephens, but Jeffery David kept the rally alive with a single to left that brought home Russell, tightening the score to 14-13. However, Sauer induced a flyout to Ashby on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.
Despite allowing both Lobo runs in the seventh, Ricky Tibbett (1-0) earned his first victory of the year after offsetting four hits with a trio of strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings, while Sauer pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on four hits but still collected his second career save and first of the season.
SDSU put up a four-spot in its first trip to the plate, highlighted by Brian Leonhardt's two-run double, while Carrigg and Weems contributed RBI singles.
The Lobos responded with a Stephens solo homer in the bottom of the first off Aztec starter TJ Fondtain, but the Scarlet and Black tacked on another run in the second after Montoya tripled and scored on Ruiz's infield hit.
SDSU eventually built a 7-2 advantage in the third, plating two runs on two hits and two additional throwing errors. Miller reached and advanced to second on those two miscues, scoring Bethancourt, who previously singled to third and moved up on a balk. Shortly thereafter Miller touched the plate on Montoya's base hit to right.
UNM eventually knotted the game at 8-8, thanks to Ashby's sacrifice fly in the third, followed by Runion's two-run homer. After Leonhardt lifted a sacrifice fly of his own in the fourth, the Lobos put up three markers in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by David's two-run single.
Fondtain last just 3 1/3 innings for the Aztecs, yielding eight runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks, while UNM's starter Brett Russell was tagged for an identical eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Runion (4-5) finished with five RBIs on the night, while David totaled three in the loss.
San Diego State will be aiming for its first series sweep of the season when it faces New Mexico in the weekend finale on Saturday at a special starting time of 10:30 a.m. MT/9:30 a.m. PT.
Aztecs Hold On For 14-13 Nail-Biter at New Mexico
