After dropping their last two games, San Diego State (2-2) was able to secure their second victory of the season over the UCSD Tritons (1-3) with a score of 10-7. This marked SDSU’s third straight victory over UCSD.
The offense was highlighted by strong games from second baseman Nevan Noonan and first baseman Drew Rutter. Noonan went 2-4 with two RBIs, two walks, and a stolen base. Rutter went 3-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base of his own.
On the other side of the ball, walks were a consistent theme for the pitching staff. SDSU issued 13 free passes and needed seven pitchers to get through the contest.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Evan Miranda found himself in trouble in the second after back-to-back walks and a wild pitch put runners on the corners with one out. The Tritons attempted a squeeze but Miranda was able to nab the runner at the plate with a sweet glove flip to the catcher. However, UCSD was able to scratch off a run with an RBI single to make the score 1-0.
Consecutive singles to lead off the third by Rutter and shortstop Finley Bates knocked out starter Jake Villar. Reliever Julian Custer came into the game and walked Noonan on four pitches to load up the bases for Jake Jackson. Jackson drew a walk bringing in Rutter to get SDSU on the board. Another bases-loaded walk by designated hitter CJ Moran and a sac fly from third baseman Daniel Arambula put the Aztecs up 3-1.
Chris Canada came on to replace Miranda and gathered two quick outs before putting two on via the walk. An error made at first made by Rutter loaded up the bases for the Tritons. A capped flare to left field fell right in front of a diving Sammy Kahler, bringing in two runs, evening the score 3-3.
The Aztecs broke the game wide open in the fourth with RBIs from Bates, Noonan, Moran, Arambula and Kahler to make the score 9-3.
Canada kept the momentum for the Aztecs, escaping the fourth with the help of a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play to keep the Tritons off the board.
Noonan stayed hot, scorching an RBI double into left-center to bring in Rudder, extending the lead to 10-3.
Luke Hayhow relieved Canada in the bottom of the fifth but walked his first two hitters and was pulled. Connor Shaw walked the bases loaded but limited the damage to just two sac flies, cutting the lead to 10-5.
Garvey Rumary came out for the sixth and allowed one run with back-to-back two-out doubles. SDSU then turned to flamethrower Issac Araiza in the seventh. Like his fellow teammates, Araiza continued the trend of getting behind and walking hitters. Araiza collected one out while walking the bases loaded. Peyton Rodgers was tasked to do some damage control and he was successful. After yet another walk bringing in a run, Rodgers escaped the inning with limited harm. UCSD narrowed the lead down to 10-7 after seven innings.
With a three-run lead, Rodgers quelled any hopes of a Triton comeback. Rodgers pitched 2.2 innings while allowing no runs and struck out three. With this effort, Rodgers locked down his second save of the young season.
The Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament will begin on Feb. 20th, and the Aztecs will open the tournament facing off against Seattle University (0-3) at 6 p.m.
