LA JOLLA, Calif. – San Diego State was dealt a hard-luck loss on Monday as UC San Diego rallied with four runs in the bottom of the ninth to escape with a 5-4 victory at Triton Ballpark.
With the setback, the Aztecs dropped their fourth game in a row, falling to 11-17 on the year, while the Tritons captured their fifth straight in the head-to-head series, raising their record to 21-9 overall.
Monday's defeat spoiled a dominating scoreless relief appearance by Brian Leonhardt, who posted season highs of seven strikeouts and five innings pitched during which he allowed just three hits without a walk.
Leonhardt took over for starter Kelena Sauer, who also fanned a season-best three hitters in three innings of work, offsetting one run on four hits and three walks.
With the score knotted at 1-1 and a thickening fog descending on La Jolla, SDSU took the lead in the top of the eighth with two markers on consecutive doubles by TJ Fondtain and Poncho Ruiz, with the former plating Shaun Montoya, who was hit by a pitch and promptly recorded his Mountain West-leading 14th stolen base of the year before racing home on Fondtain's clutch hit to right.
Ruiz was thrown out at third after attempting to stretch his two-bagger into a triple; however, the Aztecs tacked on a seemingly important insurance run in the ninth when Cole Carrigg lifted a triple of his own to center field and crossed the plate on a throwing error by UCSD catcher Bradlee Preap during an unsuccessful suicide squeeze by Cade Martinez.
Leading 4-1, Leonhardt took the mound once again in the bottom of the ninth but was lifted after yielding a leadoff single to Brock Kleszcz. Issac Araiza entered at this juncture and promptly struck out Doyle Kane. However, the Aztecs were unable to record the final two outs to preserve the win.
Crew Robinson drew a walk shortly thereafter, with both runners advancing on a subsequent wild pitch. Kleszcz then scored on Luke Glascoe's infield hit, while new reliever Connor Abadie walked Emiliano Gonzalez on four straight pitches to load the bases, with Jalen Smith pinch running at first.
Patrick Hackworth was then hit by a pitch, bringing home Robinson to narrow the gap to 4-3 while sending Abadie to a quick exit. Xavier Cardenas III was summoned from the bullpen but to no avail. The SDSU hurler uncorked a wild pitch, as Glascoe raced home with the tying run, while Michael Fuhrman was intentionally walked to reload the bases.
With the infield drawn in, Matt Halbach threaded a ground ball through the right side on a 2-2 offering, as Smith crossed the plate with the winning tally.
Despite cediing three runs (two earned) on three hits over the final two innings, Izaak Martinez (5-0) countered with four strikeouts to help pick up the victory, while Abadie (0-1) was credited with the loss.
The Aztecs struck quickly in the first when Irvin Weems led off the contest with his second home run of the season before the Tritons tied the score in the second on Ryson Ujimori's RBI single, which plated Luke Saunders.
Montoya, Fondtain and Ruiz each had a pair of hits to lead SDSU, while Glascoe and Ujimori finished with two of their own to pace the host school.
The Aztecs will square off against the Tritons once again on Tuesday, as the scene shifts to Tony Gwynn Stadium for another 6 p.m. PT start. This season's third installment of the SDSU-UCSD series will air live on the Mountain West Network.
Following Tuesday's clash, San Diego State resumes its Mountain West schedule later in the week when it ventures to the Central Valley for a key three-game series at Fresno State, April 14-16, in Fresno, California.
Late Triton Rally Sinks Aztecs, 5-4
