loss to Fresno
SDSU’s Steve Hagins scored two runs and knocked in a run in Sunday’s loss to FSU.
A few players had their heads down, but most of the San Diego State baseball team left Tony Gwynn Stadium feeling pretty good about themselves, even though they lost to Fresno State, 9-7, in 12 innings on Sunday at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Aztecs (30-14-1; 12-9 Western Athletic Conference) took two out of three from the Bulldogs and solidified their chances of making the conference playoffs, which they host starting May 14.
“We’re positive right now,” Aztecs designated hitter Steve Hagins said. “They beat us two out of three up there, and we were able to do the same to them here.”
Sunday’s game was a battle the entire way. SDSU fell behind early and had to scratch and claw its way back into the game. It needed two two-run innings in the seventh and eighth just to send the game to extra innings.
“The big thing for us is that we came back and fought,” Hagins said, who finished 2 for 6 with two runs and an RBI. “We didn’t sit down and take a three-run loss. We came back.”
Hagins was in the middle of the rally. He hustled around the bases to score in the seventh and drove in the tying run in the eighth. The junior nearly ended the game in the bottom of the 10th inning, but his home-run attempt fell short.
“I haven’t produced very much power lately,” Hagins said. “I feel in the next couple of weeks, I will start producing some power. I think I’m pretty close.”
FSU’s power was the difference in the game. Catcher Giuseppe Chiaramonte homered for the second time in the game to lead the top of the 12th inning off Aztecs reliever Justin Brunette.
“I was just trying to keep us in the game,” Brunette said. “I wanted to give us chances to win in the bottom of the inning.”
The two following runs cost the Aztecs. Third baseman Craig da Luz followed the home run with a double to knock Brunette out of the game. Designated hitter Jason De Canio greeted SDSU reliever Abel Herrera with a single, putting runners at first and third.
Herrera then balked to bring in a run, and two outs later, right fielder Carlos Aukerman singled to drive in the Bulldogs’ ninth run.
In typical Aztecs fashion, they fought back in the bottom of the 12th. Second baseman Oscar Lopez homered over the right-field wall to lead off the inning. Andy Bevins followed with a walk, and one out later, Alex Pelaez walked.
But the rally fell short when FSU reliever and winner Tom Graham got catcher Jason Phillips to fly out to right field and Hagins to strike out to end the game.
“I was trying to make things happen at the end of the game,” Hagins said. “Overall, we are pretty happy about the way we played and feel good about our chances in our remaining WAC games.”
