Noah Gaxiola
San Diego State nfielder Finley Bates slides into home scoring the 2nd run for the Aztecs off an RBI single into right by infielder Daniel Arambula at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Saturday night’s game between San Diego State and 21st-ranked UC Santa Barbara was a testament to the fight and grit of the Scarlet and Black
Unfortunately, the Aztecs came up short on the score sheet, losing 7-5 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Even with the loss, SDSU went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country and showed a lot of promise for this season.
“Give credit to our offense for battling back and getting us back in the game. Just unfortunate at the end there, too many walks from freshman Thomas Young and those infield hits man. Just didn’t go our way,” said head coach Shaun Cole.
Cole handed the rock to junior flamethrower Xavier Cardenas for his second start of the season. Santa Barbara countered with a flamethrower of their own in sophomore Jackson Flora.
Cardenas’ first inning of work was a mixed bag of results. He made quick work of third baseman Xavier Esquer, striking him out on four pitches. Following the strikeout, two walks were issued, making for some first-inning drama. This did not rattle Cardenas as he was able to punch out the next two batters with firm fastballs up in the zone.
San Diego State was able to apply some pressure in the first with a leadoff knock from shortstop Finely Bates. Following two quick outs, right fielder Zane Kelly reached on a rare catcher’s interference to put runners on first and second. With a chance to do some damage, third baseman Daniel Arambula just missed a fastball and flew out to left to retire the side.
Just like his first inning of work, Cardenas had to work through a jam. He started the inning off hot whiffing center fielder LeTrey McCollum and right fielder Rex DeAngelis. Three consecutive walks once again made things interesting, but Cardenas escaped the inning unscathed by getting second baseman Jonathan Mendez to line out to center.
Santa Barbara struck first in the top half of the third thanks to an opposite-field blast from designated hitter Nate Vargas giving the Gauchos an early 1-0 lead.
A walk followed by a hit by pitch ended Cardenas’ night in the fifth. Cole brought on freshman pitcher Luka Pintar to get out of the pinch. Left fielder Cole Koscuisko greeted Pintar with a liner to right, putting the Gauchos up 2-0.
Cardenas finished with 4.1 IP with six free passes, one hit, seven strikeouts, and two earned runs.
Cardenas gave his thoughts on his outing.
“A lot of positives I pulled from today. You know obviously, there is a couple of negatives, but something to build off of for sure. I think I am trending in a good spot for me to start sustaining some quality starts. Which I’m excited for,” said Cardenas.
Catcher Ian Fernandez grounded a double just out of the reach of a diving Arambula to lead off the sixth. Pintar then drilled Nunez to put two runners on. After getting Esquer to line out and Mendez to pop out, Pintar looked to be able to escape yet another jam. Following a well placed infield single, the dam broke loose. A passed ball and a Vargas ringing double into the right-center gap cleared the bases. Santa Barbara had now extended its lead 5-0.
The Aztecs were unable to mount any kind of offense against Flora. He was able to establish his power fastball early and kept hitters off balance all night. Flora twirled 6.0 shutout innings while allowing two hits, two walks, and racking up six strikeouts.
Pintar was relieved by Issac Araiza in the top of the seventh. Pintar ended with 1.2 IP and allowed three runs on four hits while recording one strikeout.
Araiza came out of the pen in attack mode and was nothing short of dominant. Araiza punched out the side with authority, firing up the dugout and the crowd.
Coming on to replace Araiza was sophomore Evan Miranda. Miranda picked up right where Araiza left off. Miranda blew the doors off of Nunez for the first out and back-to-back lineouts ended the top half of the eighth with the Aztecs still trailing 5-0.
After being shut out for seven innings, the bats finally woke up. AJ Krodel opened things up with walks to first baseman Drew Rutter, Bates, and center fielder Jake Jackson. Krodel’s ineffectiveness led to Cole Tryba coming into the game. Tryba proceeded to drill Kelly with a 1-0 fastball, bringing home the first run for the Scarlet and Black. Fortunately, Kelly was able to stay in the game after being tended to by the training staff. Arambula flared a ball to right bringing in another run. Cole then called on Sammy Kahler to pinch-hit for Moran. Kahler answered the call for Cole, lining a fastball into the left-center gap, bringing the Aztecs to within one.
“I got called on late and I was ready to go and I executed,” said Moran
Left fielder Jonathan Smith loaded up the bases with his third walk of the game and Tryba’s second hit by pitch of the inning brought home the tying run. Things were knotted up 5-5 going into the ninth.
Freshman Thomas Young entered the game, relieving Miranda. Miranda finished with a line of 1.0 IP, no hits, and one strikeout. Things looked promising after Young was able to get first baseman Jack Holman to chase a slider for the first out, but walks continued to haunt the staff. Back-to-back walks raised the blood pressure of the crowd and Cole had seen enough. Young completed just 0.1 IP, collecting one strikeout with two walks.
Cole tasked freshman pitcher Peyton Rodgers to clean up for Young. McCollum loaded the bases with a dribbled infield single to Bates. With the bases juiced, pinch hitter Rowan Kelly punched yet another infield single in the 5-6. Once again, Bates was left with no play to be made. Rodgers plunked Fernandez to bring home another run. Even though Rodgers was able to whiff Nunez and get Esquer to fly out, the damage had been done. Santa Barbara now held a commanding 7-5 lead over the Aztecs.
In the bottom half, San Diego State had their 2-3-4 hitters coming to the plate with a chance to make some magic. Second baseman Nevan Noonan led the inning off with a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate in Jackson. All hopes of a comeback were crushed as Jackson bounced into a 6-4-3 double play. Dillon Marrisett pinch-hit for Kelly, but ultimately struck out to end the game.
“Stop walking people and we will win more games,” stated Cole.