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Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
April 3, 2022 (Reno) - San Diego State fought valiantly in its series finale at Nevada, but a late rally fell short as the Aztecs dropped an 8-6 decision on Sunday at Don Weir Field at Peccole Park.
SDSU (6-21, 1-11 MW) was plagued by four errors, with the Wolf Pack (13-13, 7-4 MW) scoring five unearned runs off those miscues to help key their victory.
Trailing 7-4, the Aztecs mounted a late rally, pulling to within one run after Poncho Ruiz blasted his second home run of the season in the top of the seventh off Nevada’s second reliever of the day Kade Morris. Ruiz crushed Morris’ 2-0 pitch over the fence in left, plating Caden Miller, who led off with a solid single to center.
The Wolf Pack gave itself some breathing room with a single marker in the eighth when Matt Clayton singled home Anthony Flores to give the host school an 8-6 advantage it would not relinquish.
SDSU made one last charge, loading the bases with two outs in the ninth after Shaun Montoya and Ruiz each drew a walk, while Cole Carrigg singled to left. However, Tyler Cochran took the mound at this juncture and induced a game-ending groundout for his fourth save of the season.
Despite yielding Ruiz’s bomb, Morris (3-3) was credited with the victory after pitching 4 2/3 innings in relief of starter Casey Burfield, scattering two other hits until running out of gas in the ninth.
The Wolf Pack opened the scoring in the second when Pat Caulfield hit a one-out single, advanced on a groundout and promptly raced home on an errant throw to third following a stolen base.
The gaffe portended another unfortunate set of events in the third for the Aztecs, as Nevada plated four runs, including three of the unearned variety to build a 5-0 cushion.
After Ryan Jackson smacked a solo homer to left with one out, Dario Gomez reached on a fielding error and took second on the play. Josh Zamora was intentionally walked, but Landon Wallace and Caulfield each drew a base on balls from SDSU starter TJ Fondtain, the latter of which brought home Gomez. Moments later, Tyler Bosetti singled home Wallace and Zamora with a single to left.
Stung, the Aztecs were the beneficiaries of two Nevada errors in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs on just two hits along with a walk and wild pitch.
SDSU put runners at first and third when Xavier Carter drew a walk and motored around the bases after a Trevor Hazelhurst single. Moments later, Johnny Giannola and Brian Leonhardt each got aboard courtesy of consecutive fielding errors by the Wolf Pack infield, the former of which plated Carter.
Max Foxcroft quickly followed with a double down the right-field line, which brought in Hazelhurst and Giannola, while Leonhardt eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch, narrowing the gap to 5-4.
This time it was Nevada’s turn to respond as Wallace smacked a double to right center on a 3-2 pitch from Aztec reliever Jacob Flores with two outs, knocking home Clayton and Gomez, who previously walked.
Fondtain (1-4) took the loss despite allowing one earned run on three hits and four walks in three innings before giving way to Flores to begin the fourth. Ricky Tibbett tossed two scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth, while Jadon Bercovich (3 SO) went the rest of the way for the visitors after entering in the seventh.
SDSU out-hit the Wolf Pack 10-6, including a season-high three hits from Carrigg, while Ruiz finished with two of his own.
San Diego State returns to action on Tuesday, April 5 when it welcomes Long Beach State to Tony Gwynn Stadium for a non-conference clash beginning at 6 p.m. The Aztecs will then gear up for a rematch with San José State in a three-game MW home series April 8-10.
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