Derrick Tuskan, Photo Editor

Recently for the San Diego State baseball team, the beginning of each game seems to be just prologue to a routine plot. The endings are familiar, with the twists often turning against SDSU.

When the Aztecs played Pacific on Saturday at Tony Gwynn Stadium, they led 3-2 heading into the top of the eighth inning. But the Tigers rallied to score three runs, capped by a two-run single off senior closer Adam Simon.

SDSU couldn’t come back and, just like that, everything the team had done right was erased. The 6-3 loss was its second straight defeat in the three-game series, another mark on its 12-game losing streak.

Another conclusion to a game that, afterward, had head coach Tony Gwynn scratching his head, rubbing his tired eyes and searching his brain for advice he could tell his team with the Mountain West Conference season looming.

“Sometimes you have to take a deep breath, realize the situation you’re in and make the adjustments so you can get out of it because no one wants to be where we are right now,” said Gwynn, whose squad dropped the first contest against Pacific on Friday, 7-2 (yesterday’s results were not in as of deadline). “We’ve lost 12 straight and, (having) begun a homestand, this is not where we want to be.”

SDSU (6-22) was in a good position to end the losing streak when senior Curt Mendoza put the Aztecs ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo home run into left center field. The blast came against left-handed pitcher Joey Centanni, worth noting because Mendoza bats nearly .400 against left-handed pitching.

“You’re up 3-2 with your closer in the game,” Gwynn said. “That’s exactly what you want. It’s frustrating. I know these guys are flustered, but three runs on four hits is not going to get it done.”

Four hits really wasn’t going to get it done when the defense committed the same number of errors, costing two runs and prolonging innings more than necessary.

SDSU wasted an excellent start by junior Bruce Billings, who finished with seven strikeouts and gave up two runs (none earned) off three hits in five innings.

“I was encouraged with the way Bruce threw with his velocity,” Gwynn said. “He got a little winded. We were only going to let him go a certain number of pitches, but he said he felt fine, so we let him go a little longer.

For now, the Aztecs will try to show that it can win in its 15-game homestand, one that includes Wednesday’s MWC opener against New Mexico.

“We have to maintain a positive outlook, especially with conference starting up next week,” junior first baseman Brock Ungricht said. “I think this is going to make us better, teach us how to handle the down side in the beginning.”

A beginning SDSU can’t afford to make into its staple finale.