San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

SDSU baseball loses opening matchup to cross-town rival USD, 9-6

SDSU+baseball+loses+opening+matchup+to+cross-town+rival+USD%2C+9-6
Sarah Smith

In the unofficial opening and possible championship game preview of the Tony Gwynn Classic, San Diego State Baseball suffered a 9-6 loss to cross-town rival University of San Diego in Lake Elsinore.

The loss brings SDSU to 1-4 early on, with the lone win coming last Tuesday in a 4-2 win over UC Irvine.

The Aztecs continued their pattern of losing late, as they gave up two runs in the top of the ninth when down by only one run, a mistake that sealed their fate on the night before the start of the first annual Tony Gwynn Classic.

The Aztecs — who were marked as the home team for the neutral-site matchup — were down early, facing a 5-0 deficit in the second inning as the Toreros came out with a fury after their 3-game sweep to nationally ranked Vanderbilt University last weekend.

Junior right-fielder Hunter Mercado-Hood, who went 2-3 with 2 RBIs and one home run, opened up the contest with an RBI single in the top of the first inning for USD.

The Toreros added three runs in the second inning and one more in the fifth, extending the lead to 5-0, before SDSU began a comeback, as they have several times already this season.

Sophomore shortstop Alan Trejo doubled in junior catcher CJ Saylor  and then made home on a single by sophomore second baseman Justin Wylie.

With three more runs in the next two innings, including one driven in by Trejo — who went 2-5 with three RBIs on the night —  the Aztecs closed the deficit to one run.

The Aztecs pushed back again in the ninth inning, down 9-5, getting runners on first and second with no outs. But they could only manage one run in the final frame.

The Toreros did all of their damage with two outs, scoring all nine runs and recording ten hits in such situations.

This follows the script thus far in the season, as the Aztecs played a close contest, but made one too many mistakes at the wrong time.  In this case it was getting the third out of the inning.

The Aztecs used six pitchers, as junior starter Mike Diamond could muster up only 1 2/3  innings. He gave up five runs, one earned, in his first loss of the season.

SDSU will get a chance to rebound from the tough loss Friday night, when they face Bryant University in the first round of the Tony Gwynn Classic at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

About the Contributors
Zach Engberg, Sports Editor
Zach is a senior at San Diego State University majoring in journalism. Zach was the Sports Editor at The Daily Aztec, where he has been working since 2015. Zach has covered the SDSU football, baseball and women's lacrosse team, while reporting other breaking news stories. Born in San Francisco, Calif., Zach is an avid fan of the SF 49ers, Oakland Athletics and Golden State Warriors, and is still mourning the 2016 Finals loss and Super Bowl XLVII. Zach will someday work as a television sports commentator, joining the likes of Joe Buck, Mike Tirico and Marv Albert.
Sarah Smith, Assistant Photo Editor
Sarah Smith is a senior at San Diego State University seeking a bachelor’s degree in the performing arts with a minor in Child and Family Development. Sarah has been an active member in Alpha Phi sorority throughout her time at State and recently returned from her semester abroad where she studied at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. She has been a staff photographer for The Daily Aztec since her sophomore year and has enjoyed photographing everything from sports to concerts to events like Greenfest. Sarah hopes to one day move to Los Angeles and become a successful film actress.
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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
SDSU baseball loses opening matchup to cross-town rival USD, 9-6