By Joel SartanSenior Staff Writer
PROVO, Utah — Even at this early stage in the season, athree-game sweep at BYU would be a good thing for San Diego State.
Good things are worth waiting for. And that’s what SDSU will haveto do.
Leading 11-10 after eight innings, Saturday’s game was suspendedbecause the Aztecs had to beat traffic and the weather to Salt LakeCity International Airport for their flight home.
The ninth inning will likely be played April 18 when the Cougarsvisit SDSU at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
“I know that when we finish the game, we’re still going to comeout with fire,” Aztecs closer Royce Ring said. “I have no doubt.”
The delay could be seen as a blessing for BYU. The Cougars(9-14-1, 3-2 Mountain West Conference) took a 10-5 lead into theeighth inning. With curfew fast approaching, the Aztecs (20-9, 4-1)plated six runs in the top of the inning to take the lead.
One-out singles by catcher Josh Allen and left fielder Landon Burtsparked the rally, also chasing BYU hurler Paul Jacinto, who had heldSDSU scoreless in five and a third innings of relief work.
Facing his first batter, pitcher James Ray balked, scoring Allenfor the first run of the inning. From there, the floodgates opened.
An Anthony Gwynn grounder scooted under the glove of secondbaseman Rob Itri for another run. Then hits by Taber Lee, Carlo Cota,Garrett Cook, Jon Stephens and Brian Manfred brought in four more forthe lead.
“We came out with the mentality that (by) taking the first two thethird would come easy,” Ring said. “I didn’t know if we’d come back,but we had that great inning and got it done.”
Ring entered the game in the bottom of the eighth when the Cougarsthreatened to retake the lead off SDSU’s Joe Carque.
With one on and two outs, Jake Stubblefield’s ground ball to shortcaused confusion for the Aztecs’ defense. Lee flipped the ball tosecond for a force out, but Cota reached the bag late. His relaythrow to first was wild, putting the runners at second and third.
Ring recovered, getting third baseman Kevin Bills to fly out toright.
When the game resumes next month, Ring will still be on the moundand in position for the save. Carque will be in line for the win,after allowing just one run in four and a third innings out of thebullpen.
SDSU got out to an early 5-1 lead after two and a half innings.Chad Corona started things in the first with a sacrifice fly, givinghim six RBI on the weekend.
A two-run double by Gwynn in the second highlighted a three-runinning. Allen tacked on another run with a third-inning single.
Meanwhile, Aztecs starter Mike Moat was also being roughed up. Heallowed six runs on eight hits in just two and two-thirds innings.
An RBI double by Matt Carson in the first scored BYU’s initialrun. Then in the third, Doug Jackson led off with a wind-aideddouble. That was followed by three straight run-scoring hits by DaveJensen, Carson and Itri to bring the score to 5-4.
A double by Ryan Chambers put runners at second and third, chasingMoat. Reliever Chris Hartshorn promptly committed two balks, givingup the tying and go-ahead runs.
Hartshorn was hit up for three more runs in the fourth beforeCarque stopped the bleeding, but by then it was a 9-5 deficit.
A solo home run by Bills in the seventh was the only run Carquewould allow, putting the score at 10-5 before the Aztecs’ big rally.
“The guys got it done,” SDSU Assistant Coach Rusty Filter said.”They got six runs when they needed it. That’s unbelievable.
“We’ve just got to finish when we get to our place.”
