The San Diego State baseball team had one of its best home stands of the season last week. The Aztecs beat Long Beach State on Tuesday and took two of three from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas during the weekend. SDSU is now 12-12 overall and 4-3 in the Mountain West Conference.
Sophomore first baseman Ryan Muno returned to action last weekend from a broken hand that sidelined him for 18 games. Despite his return, the Aztecs are still not at full strength offensively.
Redshirt sophomore catcher and designated hitter Brad Haynal has missed the last five games because of a hairline fracture in his hand suffered two weeks ago against Fresno State University. The team tentatively expects him to return April 1 when it plays the University of California, Riverside.
Luckily for head coach Tony Gwynn, the Aztecs have rotated catching and designated hitting duties between Haynal and senior Jake Romanski all season. With Haynal out, Romanski is catcher while various Aztecs have taken turns filling in as designated hitters.
SDSU started its week on the right track with a 12-2 win against LBSU last Tuesday. The Aztecs recorded 17 hits, including four hits in four at-bats for junior second baseman Tim Zier, and a 3-for-3 performance by sophomore left fielder Matt Muñoz.
Zier also drove in two runs, scored two runs and was walked. Romanski was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, three runs scored and two walks. Freshman third baseman Tyler France had two RBIs and sophomore right fielder Steven Pallares had three RBIs.
Sophomore left-hander Mike Robards pitched into the sixth inning against the 49ers, giving up just one earned run to claim the win.
On Friday night in the opener against UNLV, France hit a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie and lifting the Aztecs to a 5-3 win against UNLV. Freshman right-handed closer Bubba Derby came on in the ninth to close out the win and earn his sixth save of the season.
On Saturday, Rebels senior right fielder Brandon Bayardi had a huge game to give the Rebels a victory against the Aztecs, 4-2. Bayardi drove in the Rebel’s first run with a double in the seventh inning, then scored following a sacrifice groundout and sacrifice fly to give his team a 2-1 lead. In the ninth inning with his team leading 3-2, Bayardi hit a solo home run to give his team a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
On Sunday, UNLV led SDSU 4-3 heading into the ninth inning before the Aztecs rallied for two runs. Junior shortstop Evan Potter scored the winning run from third base when a pitch hit Romanski with the bases loaded, forcing in the run and giving the Aztecs the 5-4 win. It was the second walk-off hit-by-pitch for the Aztecs this season, the first coming on March 1 against Seton Hall University.
Pitcher of the week
Junior right-handed pitcher Philip Walby is the pitcher of the week. Without Bayardi’s huge effort on Saturday, the Aztecs still could have won behind a strong pitching performance from Walby. The big right-hander had a no hitter through five innings before UNLV sophomore third baseman T.J. White hit a single to lead off the sixth. Walby recorded one out in the ninth inning before being pulled. His final stats: 8.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 3 K.
Player of the week
Muno is the player of week. He hadn’t played since the season-opening sweep of the University of San Diego because of a broken hand, but he didn’t miss a beat in his return against the Rebels. In the series, Muno went 4 for 8 with an RBI, two doubles, three runs scored and four walks. He also was hit by a pitch.
