Aztecs Power Past UCSD, 9-1
Power hitting, steady pitching and stellar defense were all on display Tuesday night, as San Diego State rolled past UC San Diego 9-1 in a crosstown battle at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
SAN DIEGO – Power hitting, steady pitching and stellar defense were all on display Tuesday night, as San Diego State rolled past UC San Diego 9-1 in a crosstown battle at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Aztecs (20-18) clubbed three home runs to help snap a three-game losing streak and defeat the Tritons (15-17) for the fourth time in the last five meetings.
With the win, SDSU also matches its victory total from last year with 17 games remaining on the 2026 regular-season schedule.
All nine position players had at least one hit in the contest, with Tyce Peterson, Dawson Santana, Jake Jackson and Zane Kelly collecting two apiece.
Peterson belted his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth inning, while Jackson and Kelly added solo shots, as the Scarlet and Black recorded three long balls in a game for the third time this year after accomplishing the feat just once in 2025.
In addition, Peterson became the first Aztec to reach double digits in home runs since Jordan Verdon went yard 12 times in 2018.
Not to be outdone, four SDSU pitchers combined on a two-hitter Tuesday, as Carson Johnson (2-3) earned his second straight victory after pitching five scoreless innings with five strikeouts and zero walks, followed by Aidan Russell (2.0 IP), Simon Lemke (1.0 IP) and Colton LaFave (1.0 IP, 2 Ks).
The Aztecs scored at least one run in six of eight innings at the plate, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Zach Justice singled home Santana with a base hit through the right side of the infield, while Jackson raced home on a fielder’s choice grounder to second by Max Farrell. Previously, Santana drew a one-out walk and motored around to third on Jackson’s subsequent single.
SDSU tacked on an unearned run in the second when Peterson reached on a fielding error at shortstop, allowing Kelly to score from third. Earlier, Kelly reached on a bunt single along the first base line and stole second before advancing on Drew Rutter’s deep fly to right.
The Aztecs extended their advantage to 4-0 in the third when Jackson led off with his seventh homer of the season, crushing a 2-2 pitch from UCSD starter Evan Seneres over the over the opposite field fence in right.
Peterson soon demonstrated his might with a two-run bomb in the fourth off reliever Nathan Ries, plating Anthony Marnell IV, who roped a leadoff single to left and stole second before advancing on a tapper back to the pitcher.
Kelly, who just missed a home run on a deep foul ball to the right-field corner in his previous at-bat in the fourth, atoned for his close call in the sixth when he greeted new reliever Quincey Brown with a towering shot to right on the first pitch, giving the Scarlet and Black a commanding 7-0 advantage.
In the interim, Johnson retired 12 straight batters after hitting Anthony Potestio with a pitch to leadoff the game. The redshirt sophomore gave up two singles to Alex Leopard and Delshaun Lanier to start the fifth but avoided danger by inducing a flyout to Nick Costello before striking out Shane Cannon and Cal Elvis.
Johnson was aided by some great defense during his stint, as Kelly made a sliding catch of Elvis’ sinking liner in right in the third, while Peterson prevented a single by Michael Crossland in the fourth, corralling a hot smash at third, as Farrell scooped up the ensuing throw at first to complete the out.
UCSD spoiled the Aztecs’ shutout bid in the eighth without the benefit of a hit, capitalizing on two struck batters and a walk, as pinch runner Raphael Dunne scored on Crossland’s sacrifice fly.
SDSU extinguished any faint Triton comeback hopes with a pair of markers in its half of the inning, however, as Rutter reached on a sharp grounder to second base and later raced home on Santana’s RBI single, while Peterson touched the plate on Jackson’s sacrifice fly to close out the scoring.
Seneres (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and one walk with a pair of strikeouts in two innings for UCSD.
The Aztecs finished with 14 hits for the game, marking the 18th time they have eclipsed the double-digit barrier in that statistic this season.
San Diego State will have little time to savor its victory before returning to action on Wednesday, April 15, when it travels up the freeway to face Long Beach State on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field in Long Beach, California. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. PT. The Dirtbags posted a 5-3 upset at home over No. 10/12 USC on Tuesday.