The road to Omaha has ended in Reno, Nevada for San Diego State baseball after its 6-4 loss to Nevada in the Mountain West tournament on May 24 at William Peccole Park.
The Aztecs (32-25) held a 4-1 lead over the Wolf Pack (30-25) but surrendered three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth leading to their elimination and the end to their 2019 season. Nevada erased the 4-1 deficit with three consecutive home runs in the fifth coming off the bats of junior center fielder Jaylon McLaughlin, junior left fielder Daniel Perry and senior second baseman Keaton Smith.
A two-out RBI single in the sixth by McLaughlin and an RBI double by Perry in the following at-bat later gave the Wolf Pack the 6-4 lead – their first of the game.
SDSU got on the scoreboard in the first inning courtesy of an RBI double off the bat of sophomore third baseman/pitcher Casey Schmitt. Schmitt moved from third base to the pitcher’s mound in the eighth inning, adding two scoreless innings.
Senior shortstop Angelo Armenta delivered the Aztecs’ other RBI with a single to left field that allowed sophomore left fielder Matt Rudick to score.
Prior to the elimination loss to Nevada, the Aztecs were 18-2 in MW elimination games dating back to 2012.
SDSU found themselves in a one-game elimination against the Wolf Pack after dropping its first game of the MW tournament, 9-3, to UNLV on May 23. The Aztecs fell behind the Runnin’ Rebels (28-27) 7-0 in their MW tournament opener after allowing a five-run second inning and a two-run fifth inning.
Senior pitcher Justin Goossen-Brown surrendered nine hits and seven runs in six innings while UNLV junior pitcher Ryan Hare limited the Aztecs to one run through eight innings in his start.
