By Michael KlitzingAssistant Sports Editor
RIVERSIDE, Calif.– It may be possible that the thick layer ofsmoke that shrouded the Riverside Sports Complex Tuesday night wasactually the descending firmament — it sure seemed as if thebaseball gods were smiling on San Diego State as it topped UCRiverside 8-0.
Case in point: With SDSU leading 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth,starting pitcher Rob Harrand found himself in a bind. A walk to AdamSeuss and a Jimmy Anderson single put runners at the corners with noouts. The SDSU bullpen was scrambling. It seemed as if Harrand’spitches were numbered.
Enter good fortune.
The right-hander delivered a change-up away to Tony Festa. The UCRthird baseman ripped a lined shot — right at Aztecs’ third-sackerChad Corona. Corona snared the drive, went to the bag and fired tofirst for the life-saving5-3 triple play.
“I got lucky on that one,” Harrand said. “I was pretty pumpedafterward. You can’t help yourself after a play like that.”
The sophomore from Regina, Canada finished six innings of two-hitbaseball. Chris Hartshorn pitched the final three for his firstcareer save.
Still seeking more evidence of SDSU’s good fortune? Look nofurther than the number 15.
That’s how many runners the Aztecs left on base. In the firstthree innings, they had collected 10 hits and been the recipient ofseven Highlanders’ walks. But they had only managed to score threeruns.
“We had opportunities up the yin-yang tonight,” assistant coachTony Gwynn said. “Usually when there are ducks on the pond and youdon’t take advantage, it comes back to bite you.
“But we’re in a position of luxury because we’ve got pitching.”
The offense was able to get out a certain amount of frustration inthe ninth with a five-run rally.
Dietz on Dietz
Aztecs head coach Jim Dietz, recovering from surgery to remove ablockage in his kidney, made the trip to Riverside but was merely aspectator.
The 63-year old skipper said he had been feeling listless forweeks, but did not become noticeably ill until the night of March 29in Salt Lake City. Despite pains in his chest and left arm, hecoached the game (a 5-3 loss to Utah) the next day — a decision hefeels was a mistake.
“I cost us that game,” Dietz said. “I just couldn’t pull thetrigger. There are parts of that game I can’t even remember.”
He took the next day off and started to feel better. Sunday,however, he awoke to dry-heaves. Dietz caught the next flight to SanDiego and called his health care provider upon his arrival. Anambulance was waiting at his house when he returned.
Tests revealed that a blockage had caused Dietz’s kidney to shrinkto the size of a walnut. Surgery was required.
“I told them to please hurt me so I could get better,” Dietz said.”I didn’t care what they had to do, I just wanted this over with.”
The operation was a success, although much damage had already beendone. Dietz said he hopes to retain at least partial use of thekidney.
Coincidentally, one of the nurses who assisted in the operationwas Nancy Navarro, mother of former Aztecs pitcher Rick Navarro.Dietz showed his gratitude by leaving 50 game tickets for thehospital staff.
A pale and unshaven Dietz met with his staff on Thursday, threedays after the surgery, to discuss strategies until he is able toreturn. Gwynn has taken over the offense, while Rusty Filter is incharge of the pitching.
Dietz said he hopes to be back in action as soon as this weekend.
Upcoming
UNLV comes to Tony Gwynn Stadium this weekend for a three-gameset. Friday and Saturday’s contests will get under way at 6p.m.,while Sunday is a 1 p.m. start.
Usual Sunday starter Mike Moat will not pitch this weekend as heis in Denver attending the funeral of his grandmother. Joe Carquewill start in his place.
