San Diego State baseball traded its bats for brooms, sweeping non-conference opponent Dixie State this past weekend in its second-to-last homestand of the season.
The Aztecs (22-9, 14-7 MW) came away with two narrow victories over the Trailblazers (11-26) in Saturday’s doubleheader, winning 8-7 and 5-4, respectively.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Troy Melton took the mound in Game one, tossing nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings, tying his career-best.
Game 1
Both teams drove in a run in the first inning, getting things started with an early tie that lasted until the top of the fourth when Dixie State senior first baseman Jake Engel hit his first of four homers of the day.
The Trailblazers extended their lead to 3-1 in the fifth with another home run, this time coming from senior catcher Cade Spurlin.
SDSU answered back in the bottom half of the inning with the addition of five runs.
A bases-loaded situation resulted in freshman center fielder Cole Carrigg scoring on a wild pitch.
This was followed by a 2-RBI double from redshirt freshman pinch hitter TJ Fondtain, bringing home redshirt freshman second baseman Caden Miller and freshman third baseman Fisher Pyatt.
A fielding error from junior second baseman Tanner Argyle allowed Fondtain to cross home, while redshirt sophomore catcher Wyatt Hendrie scored on an RBI double by redshirt sophomore outfielder Jaden Fein, putting the Aztecs up 6-3.
The Trailblazers’ scoring deficit didn’t last long, however.
The top of the sixth yielded four runs for DSU, giving it a 7-6 advantage over the Scarlet and Black, who tied things up in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot from redshirt senior shortstop Mike Jarvis.
The next two-and-a-half innings remained scoreless for both teams until the bottom of the ninth when the Aztecs came back swinging.
A sac fly RBI by redshirt sophomore designated hitter Brian Leonhardt brought in redshirt junior pinch hitter Matt Rudick, securing an 8-7 walk-off victory.
Game 2
Game two followed a similar narrative.
Leonhardt started on the bump in the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader.
The Trailblazers took an early 2-0 in the top of the second before adding an additional run in the third and fifth innings, respectively.
SDSU was unable to put themselves on the board until the bottom of the fifth when Carrigg scored an unearned run off of a throwing error by redshirt junior catcher Tanner Harper.
The bottom of the seventh added three more runs in favor of the Scarlet and Black.
A 2-RBI triple from Miller drove in Pyatt and Fisher, and a sac fly RBI from freshman catcher Poncho Ruiz brought Miller home, tying things up at four.
The game headed into extra innings with the score remaining unchanged until the bottom of the tenth when the Aztecs secured their second walk-off victory of the day after an RBI single from Hendrie.
Game 3
Sunday’s contest was not nearly as tight.
In typical Sunday fashion, redshirt sophomore right-hander Ricky Tibbett started for the Aztecs, finishing with six strikeouts in six innings.
SDSU racked up three runs in the bottom of the second, with an RBI single from Carrigg scoring Fein.
Freshman left fielder Xavier Carter kept things exciting, knocking a two-run homer to right in just his second career at-bat.
The Scarlet and Black added another three in the third after an RBI single from redshirt senior Jacob Cruce drove in Hendrie.
This was immediately followed by a 2 RBI double to right from Carrigg, bringing home Cruce and Fein.
Dixie State scored its only run of the day in the top of the seventh.
The Aztecs’ bats remained hot throughout the duration of the contest, with another three runs in the seventh resulting in a 9-1 advantage that would carry them to victory.
Up next…
SDSU will head to Nevada next weekend to take on the Wolf Pack beginning with a doubleheader on Friday, April 30. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
