Aztecs Stumble Against UC Riverside on Tuesday

SAN DIEGO – After braving the elements in the Pacific Northwest last weekend, the San Diego State baseball team was looking for some hometown magic in its non-conference matchup on Tuesday, but visiting UC Riverside spoiled those plans with a 7-2 victory at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The Aztecs (6-19) were plagued by four errors on the night, which led to four unearned runs for the Highlanders (11-14), who snapped an eight-game losing streak.

On a staff day, SDSU utilized nine pitchers, including Chris Canada (1-2), who recorded the first two outs in the second but was saddled with the hard-luck loss after subsequently allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.

With two gone in the inning, UCR’s David Whittle reached on a high chopper to third and eventually scored following consecutive singles by Jaxon Byrd and David Gibbs. Moments later, Tyler Gordon was hit by a pitch, while Landon Nunes drew a walk to force in Byrd.

The Highlanders extended their lead to 3-0 in third when Jayden Lopez crossed the plate on Andrew Rivas’ RBI groundout. Earlier, Lopez reached and advanced to second on consecutive SDSU errors before taking third on Manoah Chapman’s sacrifice bunt.

After increasing its advantage on Chapman’s RBI single in the fourth, UCR benefitted from four wild pitches and another Aztec miscue in the fifth, scoring three additional unearned runs.

With two outs, Griffin Harrison reached on a throwing error at third base, allowing Whittle and Gordon to cross the plate. Previously, Whittle was struck by a pitch and advanced on a sacrifice, while Gordon was issued a walk. Both runners then moved up on successive wild pitches.

Shortly thereafter, the Aztecs uncorked two more wild pitches before Diego Boardman, who pinch ran for Harrison, raced home on Isaiah Hernandez’s single up the middle.

In the interim, SDSU was held scoreless until the seventh inning when freshman Evan Escobar drove in his first two collegiate runs with a bloop single to right, which plated Dillon Marissett and Xavier Farnum. Previously, Marrisett pinch ran for Zane Kelly, who drew a leadoff walk, while Farnum doubled down the right field.

Aztec relievers Thomas Young, Peyton Rodgers, Chris Canavan and Evan Miranda kept the Highlanders off the scoreboard for the final 4 1/3 innings, but the Scarlet and Black was unable to trim the deficit.

Hank Tripaldi led off the SDSU eighth with a single but UCR’s Joshua Martinez induced a double play and recorded a strikeout to end the threat. Matt Hudson then took the mound in the ninth and retired the side in order to close out the game.

The Highlanders’ second pitcher of the night Matthew O’Brien (2-3) was credited with the victory after pitching scoreless frames in the third and fourth with three strikeouts.

Byrd and Hernandez finished with two hits apiece for the visitors, while Jonathan Smith and Cody Liscio recorded the Aztecs’ other two hits in the loss.

UP NEXT
San Diego State resumes its Mountain West schedule this weekend when it plays host to UNLV in a three-game series, March 28-30, at Tony Gwynn Stadium. All three contests will air live on the MW Network.