By Joel SartanSenior Staff Writer
It was apparent that New Mexico didn’t want to leave SouthernCalifornia the victims of a sweep at the hands of San Diego State.
UNM (15-20, 5-7 Mountain West Conference) exploded for five runsin the top of the first inning. The sweep looked to be in seriousdoubt.
But SDSU (25-12, 8-3 MWC) wasn’t about to be denied. The Aztecsput up 11 runs in the first three innings, going on to win 13-9.
“We knew we had to come out and help our pitcher,” said rightfielder Jake McLintock. “Usually it’s the pitchers carrying the team.But today we had to pick it up and we did.”
McLintock tied a team record by knocking three doubles — one ineach of the first three innings. In the process he drove in threeruns and scored twice.
Carlo Cota also had a hit in each inning, scoring all three times.Jon Stephens singled twice, scoring both times and driving in tworuns.
Third baseman Chad Corona drove in a run with a second-inningtriple, scoring on a Ryan Wilson single. Corona also blasted a homerun in the sixth. It was his seventh of the year, but his first atTony Gwynn Stadium.
“It felt good to get one at home,” said Corona. “(But) we neededthe sweep to get a little room in the standings. Our bats camealive.”
Starting pitcher Mike Moat was lifted after just one-third of aninning, having been hammered for five runs on five hits. Joe Carquetook the reins and went the rest of the way, holding the Lobos tofour runs (three earned) on eight hits to pick up the win, improvingto 4-1.
Dan Reardon (four runs on
four hits) took the loss to fall to 0-2.
“Carque did a good job,” said acting head coach Rusty Filter. “Hejust got it done.”
Start of the sweep
Friday night Chris Dunwell allowed just one run on six hits inseven and a third innings of work to pick up his fifth win of theyear as SDSU topped UNM 4-2.
Stephens had two hits — a triple and a home run, his second ofthe season.
Royce Ring pitched the final inning and a third to earn his
10th save of the season.
Saturday’s starter Rory Shortell (6-2) held the Lobos to two runson six hits in seven innings. He had a no-hitter through four andtwo-thirds.
Sacrifice flies from Reilly Embrey and McLintock highlighted athree-run seventh that put the game out of reach, as the Aztecsrolled to a 7-2 win.
No break this spring
Back on Tuesday SDSU hosted crosstown rival USD. The game tookfour hours and 10 innings to decide a winner. In the top of the extraframe, the Toreros scored an unearned run off Ring to win the game4-3.
McLintock had four hits, including two doubles, in the losingcause. Stephens added three hits, scoring twice.
The Aztecs started Spring Break in Salt Lake City for a three-gameseries with Utah. Despite outscoring the Utes 20-9 on the weekend,SDSU came home with two losses.
After falling 5-3 in the series opener, the Red and Black openedup for 16 runs in the middle game. Shortell tossed a complete-gamefour-hitter to win 16-1.
“He had all four pitches going, it was an easy performance,” saidFilter.
Utah came back to win the rubber match 3-1, as Utes hurler MitchMaio held the Aztecs to five hits while fanning 11.
News and Notes
When Shortell hit UNM catcher Scott Tajima with a pitch in the third inning Saturday, he set a new school record for hit batters in a career with his 29th. In the seventh, he plunked Tajima again for No. 30. Wednesday night the Aztecs lost 4-1 in a seven-inning exhibition game against the Padres’ Class-A farm team, the Lake Elsinore Storm. David Hall drove in SDSU’s lone run. Attendance has been on the rise at SDSU. Even with school out of session, 1,232 fans showed for Tuesday’s game against USD — the ninth-largest crowd ever to see the Aztecs play a collegiate opponent. It wasn’t just d
