SAN DIEGO – San Diego State was unable to overcome an early deficit on Sunday, as visiting Air Force salvaged the final game of a weekend Mountain West series with a 12-6 victory at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Falcons (9-15, 4-5 MW) sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the first, grabbing a 6-0 lead on four hits to put the Aztecs (7-12, 4-3 MW) in pursuit mode for the remainder of the day.
Air Force out-hit the Scarlet and Black 16-10, as Blake Covin turned in a 5-for-6 performance with three RBIs and four runs scored, while Jake Greiving went 3-for-6 with five RBIs. Covin and Greiving each doubled and homered, while Sam Kulasingam and Trayden Tamiya racked up two hits and a pair of RBIs apiece.
On the flip side, SDSU was led by Xavier Gonzalez's season-high three hits, while Poncho Ruiz went 2-for-4, highlighted by his third home run of the year, a two-run shot in the fourth.
Despite allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings, Zach Peters (1-3) was credited with win in relief of starter Seungmin Shim, who tossed four innings, allowing four runs on five hits one walk, while Jake Sansing (2.2 IP) and Sawyer Hawks (1.0 IP) kept the Aztecs off the scoreboard over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Conversely, Jonny Guzman (0-2) was tagged with the loss, exiting the mound after facing the first five hitters, with six relievers finishing out the day.
The Falcons loaded the bases to open the game, as Covin beat out an infield hit, while Kulasingam and Jay Thomason walked. Shortly thereafter, Tamiya doubled home Covin and Kulasingam, while Greiving followed with a three-run homer to left center, giving the visitors a 5-0 advantage before the first out was recorded.
Covin soon stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning and delivered an RBI single after Chris Stallings and Walker Zapp both walked.
The Aztecs manufactured a run in their half of the first when Irvin Weems walked, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before racing home on Cole Carrigg's infield single.
However, SDSU was unable to keep pace throughout the afternoon, as Air Force repeatedly answered Aztec rallies.
The Falcons increased their advantage to 8-1 in the third courtesy of Covin's RBI double to left center on a ball that Carrigg lost in the sun, while Kulasingam followed with a run-scoring single through the right side.
SDSU kept battling, however, trimming the margin to 8-4 by the bottom of the fourth. Miller led off the third with a double to right center and eventually scored after consecutive groundouts. Gonzalez then reached on a one-out infield single in the fourth before Ruiz went yard on an 0-1 offering from Shim for his third homer of the year.
Air Force quickly stole the Aztec momentum in the fifth when Covin hit a solo homer with one out, while Greiving knocked in Thomason and Tamiya with a bloop double down the line in left. Previously, Thomason laced a single to right, while Tamiya was hit by a pitch.
Trailing 11-4, the Aztecs plated two runs in the fifth when TJ Fondtain singled home Miller and Weems, who walked and doubled, respectively. However, the Scarlet and Black could draw no closer.
Later in the eighth, the Falcons received an RBI double from Kulasingam to account for the final score.
San Diego State hits the road this week for a Tuesday night clash at UC San Diego (March 28) before heading east to the Land of Enchantment for a three-game Mountain West series at New Mexico (March 31-April 2).
Aztecs Stymied by Air Force in Series Finale
