SDSU BASEBALL: AZTECS STUN KANSAS STATE IN FINAL GAME OF TONY GWYNN LEGACY

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Story and photos by Liz Alper
 
February 24, 2019 (San Diego) - SDSU baseball has split both of their games in the annual Tony Gwynn Legacy--a 3-2 win Friday night against Utah and a 1-0 loss to Oklahoma yesterday.  Today, they bid the annual weekend of baseball goodbye for another year with an afternoon matinee against Kansas State.  Redshirt senior Brad Wegman started for the Aztecs against junior Will Brennan.

Wegman was pulled in the second after he loaded the bases.  Sophomore Daniel Ritcheson took his place and pitched a solid inning until he landed himself in hot water in the third.  After two base hits, Brennan worked some pitcher magic, driving a hit to center and scoring two.  He was scored on the next at-bat with an RBI single by junior Cameron Thompson and that was the end of Ritcheson.  Sophomore Christian Winston took his place and retired the side, but the damage was already done.  It was 3-0 Cats after three.

 
The Aztecs stuck around, however.  After loading the bases in the next half inning, senior Angelo Armenta’s popup fell into short right field to score freshman Jaden Fein.  The Aztecs would only manage one run and trailed 3-1 after three.
 
SDSU inched closer in the fourth after freshman Brian Leonhardt reached base.  Fein lined a ball to center, but was thrown out at second trying for two.  Leonhardt reached home before the tag was applied, however, and the Aztecs trailed by one, 3-2, after four.
 
The Wildcats extended their lead in the fifth.  After walking the first two batters, Winston’s day was over.  He was replaced by redshirt senior Justin Goossen-Brown, who gave up a grounder to center by sophomore Terrence Spurlin that scored junior Caleb Littlejim and the Wildcats led 4-2 after five.
 
After Brennan issued two straight walks to open the Aztecs’ half of the sixth, Leonhardt made him pay with a lined shot to center to score junior Julian Escobedo. Brennan’s day ended, but the Aztecs were just getting started.  Fein walked with the bases loaded, tying the game.  Junior Jacob Maekawa hit a sac fly and the Aztecs had their first lead of the game.  Sophomore Matt Rudick’s liner went off the glove of the second baseman to score a run.  Fein scored while Rudick was caught in a rundown.  Freshman Eric Torres came in to pitch for the Wildcats, but redshirt senior Chad Bible didn’t care.  He cleared the bases on a double to right to put the Aztecs up 10-4.  Hope you didn’t go to church this morning like I did because if you’re keeping score, that’s six runs in the bottom of the sixth from six batters.  The Aztecs led 10-4 after six.
 
The Wildcats, stunned, staged a mini rally starting in the eighth on junior Chris Ceballos’ sac fly that scored freshman Dylan Phillips.  The Aztecs led 10-5 after eight.
 
Phillips drove in an RBI single and sophomore Zach Kokoska hit an RBI single grounder, but the rally would stop there as the  Aztecs staged an incredible comeback to finish off the Tony Gwynn Legacy strong with a 10-7 win to honor their late coach.
 
UP NEXT
 
With the Legacy over, SDSU next faces crosstown rival USD.  First pitch at Tony Gwynn Stadium is set for Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
 
 
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