Aztecs Win Eighth Straight, Defeat Cal State Fullerton, 5-3

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State won its eighth straight game after defeating Cal State Fullerton, 5-3, on Tuesday in a non-conference game at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

With the victory, the Aztecs raise their record to 27-18 overall, including a 16-5 mark at home, giving the Scarlet and Black its longest winning streak since a 12-game stretch from Feb. 6-March 5, 1997.

In addition, SDSU evens the season series at one game apiece against the Titans (21-22), avenging an earlier 3-2 defeat in Fullerton on March 10.

The Aztecs utilized five pitchers on Tuesday, including Evan Miranda (1-0), who collected his first win of the year after allowing one unearned run on two hits and one walk, while tying his season high with three strikeouts in three innings of middle relief.

SDSU also received a spark from Gage Adams, who set a career best with three hits, while Max Farrell collected two hits of his own and scored a key insurance run in the eighth.

CSF struck first with a single marker in the second when Damian Casas drew a one-out walk and stole second before racing home on Paul Contreras’ hot smash that caromed off the glove of a diving Tyce Peterson at third.

However, the Titans left the bases loaded following a previous walk to Nick Miller, while Esteban Olazaba was struck by a pitch. However, Aztec starter Alito McBean got Cameron Kim to hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning and prevent further damage.

CSF increased its lead to 2-0 with an unearned run in the fourth when Cam Burdick crossed the plate on Contreras’ sacrifice fly after reaching on a three-base error following a tapper in front of the plate.

SDSU, which was held hitless for the first three innings by Titan starter Nick Santivanez, tied the score in the fourth with two runs charged to reliever Landon Martin.

Dawson Santana and Jake Jackson drew walks to lead off the frame, chasing Martin, while Jabin Trosky greeted new reliever Dylan Goff with a sacrifice bunt. Moments later, Farrell laid down a perfect squeeze bunt down the first-base line, plating Santana, while Jackson later scored on an RBI groundout by Anthony Marnell IV.

The Titans reclaimed a slim 3-2 advantage when Hunter Meyer scored an unearned run on a balk by Miranda in the top of the fifth. Previously, Meyer led off with a single and took third when Brady Dobson reached on a throwing error during a sacrifice bunt attempt.

However, the Aztecs vaulted in front to stay with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame, as Peterson and Santana delivered RBI singles off reliever Dylan Nieto. Earlier, Adams led off with a single and took second on a fielding error in right field before advancing on Reeve Boyd’s sacrifice bunt. Peterson moved up on a wild pitch shortly thereafter and subsequently raced home on Santana’s base hit to right.

Jackson followed with a double down the left-field line off Ryan Seo and advanced when Santana was caught in a rundown between third and home trying to score. Moments later, Trosky and Farrell drew walks to load the bases, but Chris Hernandez took the mound at this juncture and received a lineout from Marnell, who was robbed of potential extra bases when Meyer made a diving catch in left center.

Clinging to a precarious 4-3 lead, SDSU gave itself some breathing room in the eighth when Farrell led off with a double to the corner in right field before crossing the plate on a throwing error by the catcher following a stolen base at third.

Simon Lemke retired the Titans in order in the eighth before Issac Araiza was summoned from the bullpen start the ninth. Olazaba led off with a double to left center but was erased at second moments later after expecting Kim’s soft liner to drop in shallow right field. However, Zane Kelly quickly made up ground and made a spectacular running catch before throwing to Trosky at second to complete the double play.

Buoyed by his good fortune, Araiza struck out Meyer on four pitches to earn his third save of the season, much to the delight of the Aztec faithful.

Nieto (0-2) was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs in the decisive fifth, while Olazaba finished with three hits for CSF in the loss.

SDSU maintained an 8-6 advantage in hits for the game, improving to 23-3 on the year when out-hitting the opposition.

San Diego State opens a pivotal three-game Mountain West series against conference co-leader Nevada this weekend, May 1-3, at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Aztecs trail the Wolf Pack (23-18, 12-6 MW) by a half-game in the MW standings.