SAN DIEGO – San Diego State had its three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, as visiting Nevada claimed a 10-4 victory in the finale of a Mountain West weekend series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Despite the loss, the Aztecs (16-20, 10-6 MW) still occupy the second spot in the conference standings but fell a game-and-a-half behind front-runner San José State (20-17, 13-6 MW) after the Spartans defeated Fresno State on the road, 9-5.
Back on The Mesa, the Wolf Pack (16-21, 7-13 MW) out-hit the Scarlet and Black, 11-8, combining for five runs in the fourth and fifth innings to break a 2-2 tie and seize control of the contest.
Nevada was led by Dawson Martin, who went 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Jesse Pierce (3 runs) and Jackson Waller (3 RBIs) finished with three hits apiece for the victors.
The Wolf Pack went ahead to stay with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth when Martin scored on Mason Hirata's squeeze bunt, while Waller trotted home on Nolan Wilson's triple to center. Previously, Martin and Waller led off with consecutive singles, with the former advancing on Josh Catacutan's flyout to right.
Leading 4-2, Nevada gave itself some separation in the fifth, adding three markers on one hit, highlighted by Waller's two-run single to right, which brought in Martin and Henry Strmecki to give the visitors a 7-2 advantage they would not relinquish.
Pierce led off the inning with a walk and stole second, while Strmecki also drew a base on balls before Martin was struck on the first pitch from Aztec reliever Robert Brodell, who had just entered for Julian Jackson. Pierce promptly scored on a wild pitch before Waller's knocked in the aforementioned runners on a 2-2 offering.
The Wolf Pack tacked on a run in the seventh on Martin's homer to left-center before the Aztecs responded with a tally in the bottom of the frame when Cade Martinez crossed the plate on Caden Miller's sacrifice fly. Martinez reached on a bunt single and motored around to third on Shaun Montoya's single through the right side.
TJ Fondtain's team-leading seventh homer of the season to near straight-away center narrowed the gap to 8-4 in the eighth, but the hosts could draw no closer.
Nevada accounted for the final margin with a pair of markers in the ninth, as Martin and Waller delivered consecutive RBI singles.
Jason Doktorczyk (3-2) earned the victory after allowing two runs on five hits without a walk in six innings of work while posting six strikeouts.
Conversely, Omar Serrano (0-4) absorbed the loss after surrendering four runs on six hits and two walks with just one strikeout in 3 2/3 innings. SDSU utilized seven pitchers on the day, including Xavier Cardenas III, who posted a pair of strikeouts in the ninth.
The teams traded RBI doubles in the first, including one by the Aztecs' Cole Carrigg, who led the Scarlet and Black with two hits.
SDSU took a brief 2-1 lead in the second when Xavier Gonzalez smoked a leadoff triple to left and ultimately scored when Tino Bethancourt reached on an error at first base. Irvin Weems followed with a single through the left side; however, Doktorczyk prevented further damage by inducing consecutive groundouts to Martinez and Montoya.
The Wolf Pack then knotted the score at 2-2 in the third on Pierce's solo homer to left.
San Diego State continues its homestand on Tuesday, April 25, when it plays host to UC Irvine in a non-conference game at Tony Gwynn Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Fall in Series Finale to Nevada, 10-4
