SAN DIEGO – San Diego State was unable to keep pace with an opportunistic UConn team Saturday in a 12-6 defeat at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Huskies (11-5) scored eight of their runs with two outs and out-hit the Aztecs by a 16-12 margin to help key their victory.
Conversely, SDSU (5-10) could not capitalize on its numerous chances, stranding a season-high 11 runners, compared to just four for the visitors.
UConn built a commanding 10-1 lead through six innings, sparked by a four-run outburst in the third and a three-run surge in the fifth.
Individually, the Aztecs were led by TJ Fondtain (2 RBIs) and Irwin Weems (2 SB), who tied for game-high honors with three hits apiece, while Maddox Haley and Caden Miller finished with a pair of hits each for the Scarlet and Black.
On the flip side, the trio of Ben Huber (3 RBI), Dominic Freeberger (3 runs) and Jake Studley (2 RBIs) collected three hits apiece to fuel the Huskies' offense.
UConn broke open a tight 1-0 ballgame by plating four markers with two outs in the third off SDSU starter Chris Canada (0-2), as Freeberger, Huber and Studley each delivered RBI singles, while Luke Broadhurst walked and later scored from third on a failed picked off attempt at first.
Leading 5-0, the Huskies increased their advantage with three more tallies in the fifth, including another pair with two outs. Freeberger reached on an infield hit and ultimately raced home on a fielder's choice, while Korey Morton followed with a two-run single.
The Aztecs finally pushed across a run in their half of the fifth when Weems drove in Haley from third with a base hit to right. Previously, Haley and Xavier Gonzalez led off the frame with consecutive singles, moving into scoring position on Miller's sacrifice bunt. However, UConn starter Stephen Quigley (2-0) prevented further damage with a flyout and a strikeout to end the inning.
The Huskies then added to their scoring total on the Huber's two-run double in the sixth before SDSU countered with a three-spot of the unearned variety in the seventh.
Weems laced a two-out single, while Shaun Montoya was hit by a pitch on a 2-2 offering from reliever Thomas Ellisen. Moments later, Poncho Ruiz reached on a fielding error to load the bases, while Weems crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Fondtain then stepped to the plate and smacked a 3-2 pitch to left-field, plating Montoya and Ruiz, who advanced on the aforementioned wild pitch.
The Aztecs narrowed the gap to 10-5 in the eighth when Haley walked with one out and later crossed the plate on another errant pitch, this time from new reliever Devin Kirby. Taking the mound for Will Nowak, who also issued a walk to Gonzalez and yielded a single to Miller, Kirby kept the Scarlet and Black from inching closer by striking out Montoya to end the inning.
The Huskies essentially dashed any comeback hopes by the Scarlet and Black with two runs in the ninth. Pinch hitter Maddix Dalena singled through the right side and was replaced on the base paths by Niko Brini, who motored home on Studley's double, while Bryan Padilla followed with another two-bagger shortly thereafter.
The Aztecs closed out the scoring in the ninth when Fondtain touched the plate after Haley reached on an infield single.
After UConn's David Smith led off the game with a double and ultimately scored on a double play grounder, SDSU had a chance to respond in the bottom of the first but came up empty. Weems led off with a single and later pulled off a double steal with Fondtain, who walked with two outs. However, the two Aztec runners were stranded when Quigley got an inning-ending strikeout, setting an ominous pattern of the rest of the game.
Despite giving up five hits and two walks in five innings of work, Quigley picked up the victory, while Canada absorbed the loss. Canada struck a game-high five batters in 4 1/3 innings, but surrendered eight runs (six earned) on eight hits and three walks.
San Diego State will look to even the series at two games apiece on Sunday when it battles UConn in the weekend finale, starting at 1 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Doubled Up by UConn, 12-6
