By Joel SartanSenior Staff Writer
Hits? We don’t need no stinking hits!
San Diego State (21-9) scored seven runs on eight hits Tuesdaynight against CSU Northridge (18-10). But only three of those runscame as the result of a hit.
Regardless, SDSU won 7-2 in front of 1,005 fans at Tony GwynnStadium.
Right-hander Rob Harrand got the starting nod for SDSU and didn’tdisappoint. In six innings, the sophomore allowed one run on only twohits, striking out six.
“I was pleased,” head coach Jim Dietz said. “He’s been struggling,but tonight he pitched like he’s capable.”
The performance may not have been what one expects from a No. 5starter, but it is just the latest example of the depth of theAztecs’ rotation.
“I’d like to be back in the three-man rotation,” Harrand said. “Wehave a lot of good pitchers. Hopefully we can keep piling up thewins.”
SDSU got on the board in the opening inning — without a hit.Carlo Cota drew a one-out walk, later scoring on a Jake McLintocksacrifice fly.
In the fifth, Josh Hill led off with a walk. He then advanced tosecond, then third, then home on successive wild pitches by CSUNhurler Brett Cayton.
Brian Manfred also reached via a base on balls, then scored on aTaber Lee fielder’s choice.
McLintock put the score at 4-0 in the top of the fifth with aRemington Road Rip, sending one deep over the left-center fence.
“They threw a lot of meat pitches and a lot of pitches theyshouldn’t have in certain counts,” he said. “They’d be ahead (in thecount) and throw a fastball down the middle.”
Which might explain the double-digit ERAs of the Matadors’ firsttwo pitchers.
CSUN struck for two runs in the seventh on RBI singles by RudySimpson and Adam Nikolic.
SDSU answered in the bottom of the inning with three more on arun-scoring double by Anthony Gwynn, a single by Lee and anotherfielder’s choice off the bat of Jon Stephens.
Walk this way
On average, the Aztecs have drawn four walks per game.
Tuesday night, they drew 12 bases on balls.
“We’re starting to get better at that,” Dietz said. “But to behonest, their first three guys were wild — that made it easy forus.”
Starting pitcher Tim Dorn allowed only one hit in three innings,but walked four.
Cayton walked four in an inning and two-thirds, also uncorkingthree wild pitches, allowing three runs.
Justin Fortugno allowed two runs on two hits with three walks inone and a third innings.
Taber-toothed tiger
Lee was named Mountain West Conference Player of the Week for hisperformance last weekend against BYU.
The shortstop went 10-for-15 (.667) in the three-game series,including two doubles, three RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base.
After struggling early in the season, posting a sub-.200 battingaverage, Lee is now up to .380.
In six conference games, the junior from Olympia, Wash. is battinga tidy .630 with eight RBI and nine runs scored.
No time for parties
SDSU will stay busy over Spring Break. This weekend, the Aztecstake their 4-1 conference record to Salt Lake City for a three-gameseries with Utah (15-12, 2-4 MWC).
Tuesday, the Aztecs return home to host cross-town rival No. 16University of San Diego (24-6).
The following night, SDSU heads to Lake Elsinore for an exhibitiongame against the Padres’ Class-A farm team, the Storm.
