FRESNO, Calif. – San Diego State was dealt a 4-0 defeat by Fresno State on Saturday in the second game of a Mountain West series at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
The Aztecs (13-18, 8-4 MW) were limited to just three hits and slipped into second place in the conference standings, one game behind San José State (17-13, 10-4 MW), which rallied for a 7-3 triumph at home over UNLV.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs (16-17, 8-8 MW) snapped a seven-game losing streak after the pitching duo of Roman Angelo and Tommy Hopfe allowed a combined seven base runners for the day.
Angelo (3-4) picked up the victory after fanning five batters in eight innings to help offset three hits, two walks and two hit batters, while Hopfe retired the side in the ninth with one strikeout.
Conversely, Chris Canada (1-4) was saddled with the loss after yielding all four runs on six hits and one walk with just two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings, while Ricky Tibbett pitched the rest of the way, giving up two hits without a walk.
SDSU was poised to grab the early lead when Shaun Montoya greeted Angelo with a double to left center on the first pitch of the day and advanced on Caden Miller's sacrifice. However, Angelo struck out TJ Fondtain before inducing a groundout to Poncho Ruiz, which ended the threat.
The Aztecs also put a runner aboard in the second when Cole Carrigg led off with a single but was caught stealing shortly thereafter.
Fresno State broke the scoreless deadlock when Jaden Sheppard opened the fifth with a double down the left-field line and later scored on Michael McKernan's single to right center.
The Bulldogs increased their lead courtesy of the long ball with two outs in the sixth. Murf Gray homered on the first offering from Canada, while Bobby Blandford followed with a double to right-center before Hopfe went yard himself, giving the host school a sudden 4-0 advantage.
SDSU threatened to get on the board in the seventh, but Carrigg was caught in a rundown between third and home on Xavier Gonzalez's single to left. Previously, Carrigg reached on a fielder's choice and stole second.
The Aztecs also put two runners on the eighth on a pair of two-out walks to Montoya and Miller. However, Miller was erased at second when Fondtain grounded into a fielder's choice.
Sheppard and McKernan each had two of Fresno State's eight hits on the afternoon.
San Diego State wraps up its Central Valley excursion on Sunday when it battles the Bulldogs in the rubber game of the weekend series, beginning at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Stymied at Fresno State, 4-0
