Jackson's Blast Propels Aztecs Past Fresno State in 11 Innings

FRESNO, Calif. – San Diego State’s Jake Jackson launched a two-run homer in the top of the eleventh on Friday to lift the Aztecs to a 4-3 extra-inning victory over Fresno State in the opener of a Mountain West series on Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.

Tyce Peterson also went yard with a solo blast in the fourth, as SDSU overcame 15 stranded baserunners to win its fifth straight, raising its record to 24-18 on the season and 8-5 in conference play.

Conversely, three Aztec pitchers combined on a six-hitter and 12 strikeouts, dropping the Bulldogs to 12-26-1 overall and 1-11-1 in MW action.

Despite giving up two runs on two hits and a pair of walks, Aidan Russell (5-2) earned his team-leading fifth victory of the season, while Issac Araiza collected his second save.

Starter Rohan Lettow tossed six innings for the Scarlet and Black, yielding just one run on four hits without a walk while compiling seven strikeouts.

Fresno State plated a run in their first at-bat when Owen Faust led off with a single and circled the bases on Griffen Sotomayor’s double to the gap in right center.

However, Lettow gave up just two hits for the remainder of his stint, as SDSU ultimately claimed a slim 2-1 advantage.

The Aztecs got on the board in the third when Max Farrell beat out a throw to first on a grounder up the middle, allowing Dawson Santana to score from third. Previously, Santana singled to shallow right and took third when Zach Justice reached on a wild pitch as a result of a dropped third strike with two outs, which kept the inning alive.

Later in the fourth, SDSU took its first lead of the game when Peterson crushed an 0-2 pitch from Bulldog starter Drew Townson deep over the left-field fence with two outs.

Earlier, Fresno State threatened in its half of the third after Ethan Payne led off with a single up the middle. However, the Aztecs turned a crucial 6-4-3 double play after Jabin Trosky snared Faust’s grounder deep in the hole at shortstop. Jett Ruby followed with another base hit to shallow right and took second on a wild pitch but was left stranded when Sotomayor grounded out to short.

Buoyed by his good fortune, Lettow retired the Bulldogs in order the next three innings, highlighted by five strikeouts.

SDSU seemed poised to extend its lead in the sixth after Anthony Marnell IV led off with a single and took third on Peterson’s double to right center. However, reliever Brandon Thomas regrouped with a pair of strikeouts before inducing a groundout to keep Fresno State within striking distance.

The Bulldogs pushed across the tying run in the seventh when Sky Collins scored on Cam Schneider’s squeeze bunt. Previously, Collins was struck by pitch with one out before moving to third on a stolen base and throwing error, while Hewitt drew a walk.

Fresno State was primed to reclaim the lead after Marcus Nolen drew a walk following Schneider’s sacrifice. However, the Aztecs caught a break when Payne’s chopper deflected high off the outstretched glove of Russell on the pitcher’s mound, right into the waiting glove of Santana, who promptly stepped on second for the force out of Nolen, which ended the inning.

Russell then settled into a groove as the senior reliever retired nine consecutive hitters, featuring a pair of strikeouts in the ninth and 10th innings.

SDSU put two runners aboard in the eighth when Marnell drew a one-out walk and Peterson was hit by a pitch. However, Thomas escaped danger once again after receiving an infield fly and a strikeout.

Jordan Haver replaced Thomas and set the Aztecs down in the 10th but gave up a leadoff single to Santana in the 11th. Jackson, who was hitless in his previous five at-bats, calmly stepped to the plate and blasted a 1-1 pitch to deep center field, giving the visitors a 4-2 lead

Held without a hit since the third, the Bulldogs made things interesting in the bottom of the inning when Sotomayor homered off Russell with two outs, while Mikey Boyd followed with a double to right.

However, Araiza was summoned from the bullpen and quickly ended the suspense with a five-pitch swinging strikeout of Collins, as the Aztec dugout erupted in celebration.

SDSU maintained a 13-6 advantage in hits, including four by Santana, who set a career high, while Peterson, Justice and Adam Magpoc finished with two apiece.

Townson collected nine strikeouts in four innings for Fresno State, while Haver (2-2) was saddled with the loss after surrendering Jackson’s bomb.

As a team, the Aztecs improve to 19-6 this season when hitting a home run and move to 9-3 in one-run ballgames.

San Diego State resumes its series against the Bulldogs on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. PT. The contest will air live on the Mountain West Network.