Aztecs Rally Past Cougars in 12-10 Slugfest on Senior Day

SAN DIEGO – In the regular-season finale for both teams, San Diego State rallied for a 12-10 victory over Washington State on Saturday to complete a weekend sweep of a Mountain West series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Celebrating Senior Day festivities, the Aztecs (19-37, 14-16 MW) scored the final six runs of the contest to erase a 10-6 deficit and hand the Cougars (18-36, 11-19 MW) their fifth straight defeat and seventh in their last eight outings.

In addition, SDSU avenged a three-game sweep to WSU earlier this season in its inaugural visit to Pullman, Washington.

Looking ahead, the Aztecs received the No. 5 seed at the Mountain West Championship next week in Mesa, Arizona, where they will square off against fourth-seeded UNLV on Wednesday, May 21, at 6:05 p.m. PT.

Trailing 10-6 after the Cougars plated three markers in the top of the seventh, SDSU quickly responded with four runs in its half of the inning to tie the game.

After drawing a leadoff walk, Evan Sipe circled the bases on a double to the gap in right-center by Finley Bates, who ultimately scored on Jonathan Smith’s RBI single following a wild pitch.

Moments later, Smith advanced on a stolen base and a deep flyout before CJ Moran and Daniel Arambula stepped to the plate and uncorked consecutive run-scoring doubles, knotting the score at 10-10.

In the pivotal eighth inning, Jake Jackson led off with opposite field double that scooted all the way to the corner in right before racing home on Sipe’s two-bagger that bounced off the wall in left following a steal of second. Shortly thereafter, Sipe trotted home on Bates’ single up the middle to account for the final margin.

Relievers Evan Miranda, Connor Shaw, Issac Araiza and Peyton Rodgers combined to keep WSU off the scoreboard for the final 2 2/3 innings.

Araiza, who fanned Luke Thiele after issuing a two-out walk in the eighth inning, was credited with the victory, evening his record at 2-2 on the season, while Rodgers collected his fourth save of the year after retiring the Cougars in order in the ninth. The Torrey Pines High alumnus struck out Max Hartman and Gavin Roy before inducing an infield popup to Logan Johnstone to end the game.

Jackson (3 RBIs) and Moran (3 runs, 2 RBIs) led the Aztecs with three hits apiece, while Bates and Xavier Farnum finished with two hits and a pair of RBIs each to help pace the Aztec attack.

SDSU took its first lead of the day at 2-1 in the second when Jackson knocked Moran with a base hit through the right side, while Zane Kelly followed with an RBI groundout to plate Daniel Arambula. Previously, Moran ripped a sharp single to second, while Arambula reached on a fielding error at third.

WSU scored five runs over the next two innings, highlighted by Hartman’s leadoff homer in the third, while Ryan Skjonsby duplicated the feat to begin the fourth. In addition, Thiele followed Skjonsby’s blast with an RBI double, while Hartman crossed the plate on Roy’s sacrifice fly to give the visitors a 6-2 advantage.

However, the Aztecs quickly narrowed the gap in their half of the frame courtesy of Farnum’s run-scoring double, which plated Moran, while Jackson launched his fourth round-tripper of the year momentum, crushing an 0-1 pitch from Cougar starter Nick Lewis over the wall in deep left-center, which narrowed the gap to 6-5.

The teams traded single markers in the sixth, as Hartman singled home Jack Weise for the visitors, while Farnum went yard for the first time in his collegiate career with a solo shot to left off reliever Gavin Derr.

Clinging to a slim 7-6 advantage, WSU put up a three-spot in the seventh when Thiele was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, while Hartman delivered a two-run single.

The Cougars were poised to add to their total in the inning, but Miranda induced a lineout to shortstop by Roy, while Hartman was erased at second on Johnstone’s fielder’s choice grounder.

WSU stranded 11 runners for the game, compared to just four for SDSU.

Weise (4-for-4, 3 runs) led all players with four hits, while Hartman finished with a 3-for-6 effort at the plate and four RBIs in the defeat.

Rylan Haider (1.1 IP), the Cougars’ third reliever of the contest, was saddled with the loss (2-2) after giving up the decisive runs in the eighth.

UP NEXT
San Diego State will square off against fourth-seeded UNLV in the first round of the Mountain West Championship on Wednesday, May 21, at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, starting at 6:05 p.m. AST/PDT. The Aztecs and Rebels each posted sweeps on their respective home fields during the 2025 campaign.