The Aztecs hosted the San Diego Padres’ minor league team in a scrimmage last Monday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Padres roster consisted of players from their single-A affiliate Lake Elsinore Storm and their Rookie league. The crowd was filled with fans and family members. Their dugout was filled with players so the rest of the team watched from the stands.
It was a low-scoring affair, as the Padres beat the Aztecs by a score of 1-0 over nine innings.
Padres shortstop Spence Coffman drew a walk to start the 6th inning and later scored on a passed ball – the only run of the game. The laborious inning culminated in a bases-loaded jam. To keep the pace of play going, the inning was called early. Coffman reached base twice in the game, drawing another walk in the eighth inning.
The Padres collected a total of four hits, with two of them coming from 17-year-old third baseman Rosman Verdugo. Verdugo enjoyed a solid rookie year in the Padres organization, blasting seven home runs and posting an .805 OPS.
The game was defined by excellent pitching and defense from both sides. The Aztecs’ arms impressed, keeping the game close against professional hitters. The defense came through as well, as a ninth inning double-play kept the game close.
The Padres’ arms shut down the Aztec offense and avoided trouble later in the game. Overall, the two teams allowed a total of eight hits. Opportunities for offense arose, but to no success.
The Aztecs loaded the bases in the fifth inning but weren’t able to bring a run in. In the eighth inning, freshman D.J. Cardinal reached base on a walk and stole second before a groundout from sophomore catcher, Evan Sipe, allowing Cardinal to advance to third. With a runner on third and one out, the Padres pitching came up clutch once again, striking out the next two batters to keep the Aztecs scoreless.
As the minor leaguers play practice games, the Padres’ major league club is in the midst of a playoff run. Led by Trent Grisham’s breakout performance and Joe Musgrove’s dominant pitching, they’ve taken down the Mets and the Dodgers. They’ll be tasked with shutting down the dynamic Phillies team next.
As for the Aztecs, they’ll be back in action on Oct. 30 with a free to attend Halloween-themed game.
