Aztecs Fall in Series Finale vs. Fresno State

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State fell victim to the big inning Sunday in a 10-2 defeat to Fresno State in the finale of a Mountain West series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The Bulldogs (17-18, 10-5 MW) erupted for three runs in the top of the first and plated four additional markers in the fifth to build an insurmountable 7-0 advantage.

The Aztecs (11-25, 7-8 MW) ended their scoring drought in the sixth on Jonathan Smith’s two-run homer but could draw no closer.

Fresno State extended its lead with a sacrifice fly in the seventh before adding a pair of runs in the ninth to account for the final score.

Bulldog starter Kaleb Hay (2-1) earned the victory after giving up six hits and one walk with four strikeouts in six innings, while Drew Townson pitched three scoreless frames with a trio of punchouts to collect his third save of the year.

On the flip side, SDSU utilized eight pitchers on the afternoon, with starter Garvey Rumary (4.1 IP, 6 R) absorbing the loss.

Smith and Daniel Arambula led the Aztecs with two hits apiece, while Evan Escobar (double) and Drew Rutter finished with one each.

Fresno State received run-scoring doubles from Murf Gray and Griffen Sotomayor in the first, sandwiched around Bobby Blandford’s RBI groundout.

Later in the fifth, Gray and Owen Faust each doubled in a run as well, while Sotomayor laced an RBI single to plate Justin Stransky.  Previously, Stransky advanced to third on a base hit that was mishandled in left field as Gray raced home from second.

With two outs in the sixth, the Aztecs finally got on the board when Smith crushed the first offering from Hay over the right-field fence, scoring Arambula, who just singled moments earlier.

However, the Bulldogs increased the margin to 8-2 in the seventh when Sotomayor crossed the plate on Jett Ruby’s sacrifice fly. Previously, Sotomayor walked an advanced on a wild pitch and a deep flyout.

Fresno State then closed out the scoring in the ninth on BJ Rodriguez’s two-run single.

Gray, Sotomayor and Stransky each finished with two hits for the visitors in the win.

UP NEXT
San Diego State wraps up its five-game homestand on Tuesday, April 15, when it plays host to UC San Diego in a non-conference clash at 6 p.m. The Aztecs-Tritons battle will air live on the Mountain West Network.