Five Aztec Pitchers Combine to No-Hit UC Riverside

SAN DIEGO – Five San Diego State pitchers combined on a no-hitter Tuesday in the Aztecs’ 1-0 victory over UC Riverside in a non-conference game at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Freshman Jake Frohn started the first four innings for SDSU, while Carson Johnson tossed the next two frames, followed in succession by Issac Araiza, Bryce McKnight and Aidan Russell, who pitched one inning apiece to secure the 10th no-hitter in program history and the Aztecs’ first since Jacob Riordan accomplished the feat vs. New Mexico on March 29, 2024.

San Diego State hurlers combined for 11 strikeouts, including four by Frohn to tie a career high, while Johnson collected three, helping the Aztecs (19-15) extend their winning streak to a season-long four games.

“That was really fun, really special,” said SDSU head coach Kevin Vance. “They were all executing at a high level. You know, a freshman started it. Just shows how we’re continuing to get better as the season progresses. I’m super proud of the guys for being relentless.”

The Aztecs scored the lone run of the contest when Dawson Santana plated Jake Jackson with a sharp single to center field with two outs in the fourth inning. Earlier, Jackson reached on a fielder’s choice and took third on Max Farrell’s base hit up the middle.

Conversely, the Highlanders (8-23) put a baserunner aboard on just two occasions en route to their fifth consecutive defeat.

UCR’s Jarren Sanderson drew a leadoff walk in the second but was erased when Isaiah Hernandez grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop, while Frohn induced back-to-back flyouts by Manoah Chapman and Robert Pitts.

Johnson replaced Frohn to start the fifth, retiring six straight batters, highlighted by consecutive strikeouts of Esteban Sepulveda and Tyler Gordon to lead off the sixth.

Araiza took the mound in the seventh and promptly fanned Lucas Bonham and Jaxon Byrd before Sanderson grounded out to second to end the inning.

McKnight was summoned from the bullpen and needed just five pitches to record his three outs in the eighth with defensive support from Jabin Trosky at shortstop, Santana at second and Farrell at first.  Hernandez and pinch hitter Andrew Rivas were quicky retired by way of groundouts, while Pitts swung at the first offering from McKnight and lifted a routine fly ball to center.

Russell was called upon to pitch the ninth for the Scarlet and Black, freezing pinch hitter Hunter Backstrom on a called third strike to start the inning.

Moments later, Gordon drew a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Evan Hall, who was forced out at second when Farrell made a diving stop to his right on Miles Scott’s hot infield smash and threw from his knees to Trosky covering the bag.

Shortly thereafter, Scott took second on a wild pitch, but Russell promptly ended the suspense, freezing Lucas Bonham with a called third strike on a 2-2 pitch, sending the Aztecs dugout into a frenzy on the field.

“We pretty much stuck to the plan towards the end there,” Vance said on his use of pitchers. “It changes a little bit depending on the score, but in a tight game, this is what we had planned, and these guys did a great job.”

Johnson (1-3) earned his first victory in an SDSU uniform, while Ryan Higgins (1-4) took the loss for the Highlanders after giving up the decisive run. In all, UCR utilized seven pitchers on the night, including starter Josh Martinez, who tossed the first two innings.

Tyce Peterson finished with two of the Aztecs’ six hits on the night, extending his streak of reaching base safely to 24 straight games.

San Diego State returns to Mountain West play this weekend when it travels to the Land of Enchantment for a three-game series vs. the New Mexico Lobos, April 10-12.