Aztecs Denied in Both Ends of Saturday Doubleheader

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State found itself on the wrong side of two high-scoring games in its doubleheader against Northeastern on Saturday, dropping a 9-6 decision in the opener before falling by a 12-9 count in 12 innings in the nightcap at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The Aztecs were victimized by five home runs in game one, including a pair of two-run shots by Cam Maldonado, whose ninth-inning blast gave the Huskies some added insurance.

In game two, SDSU overcame a pair of two-run deficits before running out of steam in a wild 12th inning.

The Aztecs (4-12) were led by CJ Moran, who combined five hits and four RBIs on the day, while Nevan Noonan finished with three hits and four runs scored.

GAME ONE
Northeastern never trailed after putting up four markers in the top of the first on Jack Goodman’s three-run homer followed by Harrison Feinberg’s solo shot.

Jack Doyle also went yard to lead off the second, giving the Huskies a 5-1 cushion.

After posting a single tally in their half of the first on consecutive doubles by Noonan and Moran, the Aztecs tried to keep pace in the second, as Drew Rutter plated Jake Jackson and Finley Bates with a two-run single, which trimmed the margin to 5-3.

Previously, Jackson ripped a leadoff double and advanced on a sacrifice bunt before Finley Bates drew a two-out walk and stole second.

The score remained unchanged until the fifth when Maldonado homered to left following Ryan Gerety leadoff single and a wild pitch.

Trailing 7-3, SDSU put up a three-spot in its half of the frame to narrow the gap once again. With one out, Noonan was hit by a pitch, while Moran singled up the middle, as both runners circled the bases on a fielding error following Sammy Kahler’s base hit to right.

Kahler advanced to third on the play before racing home on Jackson’s single to center, which tightened the score to 7-6.

However, the Aztecs were unable to seize the upper-hand, as Maldonado’s two-run homer in the ninth kept the host school at bay.

Despite allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and one walk in five innings, Will Jones (4-0) was credited with the victory, while Jack Beauchesne pitched a scoreless ninth, offsetting a single with a strikeout to record his second save of the year.

SDSU starter Evan Miranda (0-1) absorbed the loss after yielding five runs on five hits and three walks to go with a career-high six strikeouts.

Along with Maldonado’s four RBIs and three runs scored, Gerety went 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs of own for Northeastern, while Goodman (2-for-4) finished with three RBIs.

Conversely, the Aztecs were paced by Moran, Rutter and Jackson, who collected two hits each.

GAME TWO
In an extra-inning affair that featured the tie-breaker rule, the Huskies (7-5) erupted for five runs in the top of the 12th inning to break a 7-7 deadlock.

Carter Bentley and Carmelo Musacchia keyed the outburst with a pair of two-run doubles, while Ryan Gerety added a sacrifice fly.

SDSU tried to extend the game in their half of the frame as Xavier Farnum crossed the plate on Nevan Noonan’s grounder to short, while Jonathan Smith scored on CJ Moran’s double to left center. Previously, Farnum was placed at second to start the inning, while Smith drew a walk before both runners tagged up on Finley Bates’ foul fly in deep right field.

However, relief Ryan Griffin extinguished the Aztecs’ comeback hopes with a strikeout to end the 4 hour-and-17-minute marathon.

Each team’s third pitcher of the contest factored in the decision, as Max Gitlin (1-0) won for the first time this season, while Issac Araiza (1-1) was saddled with the loss.

Earlier, SDSU found itself trailing 5-3 before tying the score in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Evan Sipe reached on a hot smash to first before Smith doubled down the left-field line. Following a pitching change, Bates lifted a single to center field, bringing home both runners.

After Bates’ stolen base, however, the Aztecs were unable to push across the go-ahead run, as reliever Cooper McGrath induced consecutive flyouts to keep the contest knotted at 5-5.

The score remained unchanged until the 11th when Jack Goodman singled home Justin Bosland before Ryan Gerety slid home on a wild pitch to give the visitors a 7-5 advantage. Previously, Bosland was placed on second to start the inning, while Gerety was intentionally walked following a groundout and moved to third on Goodman’s hit.

Unfazed, the Aztecs once again tied the game in their half of the inning thanks to Sammy Kahler’s two-run pinch-hit single, which plated Noonan and Moran. With Noonan placed at second, Moran drew a walk before Jake Jackson advanced both runners with a sacrifice.

Kahler took second shortly thereafter on a failed pickoff attempt, but Gitlin induced a flyout before an inning-ending strikeout ended the threat.

Goodman finished with a 5-for-7 effort at the plate for Northeastern, while Musacchia and Gerety totaled three RBIs each.

Conversely, Moran led the Scarlet and Black with three hits and three RBIs.

Maldonado cracked a solo homer in the top of the first before the Aztecs answered in their half of the frame with Moran’s RBI single, which brough home Noonan, who previously doubled and advanced on a wild pitch.

After the Huskies scored an unearned run in the top of the third, SDSU responded with Noonan’s RBI groundout and Moran’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning to grab a 3-2 lead.

However, Northeastern capitalized on a fielding error in the sixth to tally three additional unearned runs and take a 5-3 lead, which set the stage for the Aztecs’ seventh-inning rally.

SDSU starter Marko Sipila set a season high with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings before giving way to Peyton Rodgers, who pitched a season-long five innings with four punchouts of his own.

UP NEXT
San Diego State wraps up its weekend series against Northeastern on Sunday, starting at noon.