Aztecs Edged by Spartans in Season-Ending Loss at MW Tourney
Despite a late rally, fifth-seeded San Diego State fell short against No. 6 seed San José State at the Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship on Friday, dropping a narrow 7-6 decision in an elimination game in Mesa, Arizona.
MESA, Ariz. – Despite a late rally, fifth-seeded San Diego State fell short against No. 6 seed San José State at the Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship on Friday, dropping a narrow 7-6 decision in an elimination game at Sloan Park.
The Aztecs (20-39) maintained a 16-11 advantage in hits and scored the final five runs of the contest but were unable to seize the upper hand, resulting in a season-ending loss.
Nevan Noonan (2 RBIs), Finley Bates and Daniel Arambula led the Scarlet and Black with three hits apiece, while Zane Kelly collected two of his own.
Trailing 7-1, SDSU began to chip away at the deficit in the sixth inning when CJ Moran led off with a base hit up the middle and ultimately crossed the plate shortly thereafter on consecutive singles by Arambula and Xavier Farnum.
The Aztecs were poised to add to their total, but Spartan starter David Thomas caught the next three batters looking on called third strikes, preventing further damage.
In the seventh, SDSU continued its hit parade when Bates led off with a single to left and took third on Noonan’s double down the third-base line before racing home on Moran’s sacrifice fly. Arambula followed with another single behind the bag at second, but shortstop Rocco Caballero corralled Farnum’s sharp liner, thwarting another potential scoring opportunity.
Unfazed, the Aztecs quickly loaded the bases on consecutive one-out singles by Kelly and Gage Adams, while Bates drew a walk from reliever Nolan George, who was summoned from the bullpen moments earlier.
Kelly touched home shortly thereafter when Jonathan Smith reached on a fielder’s choice, while Adams and Smith circled the bases on Noonan’s bloop double that fell between three SJSU fielders in shallow left-center, narrowing the gap to 7-6.
Noonan soon advanced on a wild pitch, but Jeriah Lewis chased down Moran’s liner to the gap in right-center, stranding the tying run at third base.
Tyler Albanese replaced George in mid-count after the latter issued two straight balls to Arambula, inducing a flyout, a groundout and a pop-up to end the game.
Thomas (2-5) was peppered by 14 of SDSU’s hits but struck out seven batters and did not allow a walk, earning the victory despite giving up five runs in 7 1/3 innings, while Albanese notched his ninth save of the season.
On the flip side, Omar Serrano (4-7) absorbed the loss after yielding seven runs (five earned) on nine hits and four walks with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings before giving way to Peyton Rodgers, who pitched the rest of the way, recording five punchouts of his own to offset two hits and a walk.
With the score knotted at 1-1, the Spartans went ahead to stay in the fourth on Jake Maroney’s RBI groundout, which plated Drew Giannini, who led off with a ground-rule double.
The Aztecs had a chance to respond after loading the bases in the bottom of the frame. Arambula led off with a single up the middle, while Jake Jackson was hit by a pitch after Farnum was called out on batter’s interference and Zane Kelly beat out an infield hit. However, Thomas induced a double play to short, extinguishing another threat.
SJSU later increased its advantage in the fifth when Caballero walked, stole second and scored on Zach Chamizo’s double to left, while Lewis launched a two-run homer over the fence in right following Jake McCoy’s lineout to left.
The Spartans capitalized on an SDSU error in the sixth, as Maroney drew a one-out walk and motored around to third on Alex Fernandes’ single up the middle before sliding home safely when Rodgers threw wildly past Evan Sipe at the plate on Caballero’s squeeze bunt near the right side of the mound.
An intentional walk to Chamizo loaded the bases before Fernandes scored on McCoy’s fielder’s choice behind the bag at second, giving SJSU a 7-1 cushion.
SERIES/TOURNAMENT NOTES
The Aztecs suffered their first loss in four postseason meetings to the Spartans as members of the Mountain West.
Despite the loss, San Diego State still owns a 51-36 record in conference tournament play, which marks the highest victory total since the inception of the Mountain West in 1999-2000.
SJSU (28-29) will face either Fresno State or Nevada in another elimination game on Friday night, following the conclusion of the Bulldogs-Wolf Pack matchup in the winner’s bracket.