Aztecs Drop Midweek Game to UCSD

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State fell victim to the long ball Tuesday in a 14-3 run-rule defeat in seven innings at the hands of visiting UC San Diego at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The Tritons (17-18) hit five homers on the night to snap a three-game losing streak to the Aztecs (11-26), who were held scoreless until plating three runs in the final frame.

UCSD’s Anthony Potestio led all players with a 4-for-6 performance at the plate, featuring a two-run homer in the fifth inning, while pinch hitter Trevian Martinez launched a three-run shot in the seventh, tying Colton Lomanto for game-high honors with three RBIs.

Lomanto hit the second of consecutive dingers after Alex Leopard went yard to lead off the fourth, chasing SDSU starter Alito McBean (0-1). The Triton senior also contributed a pair of RBI doubles in the first and the fifth.

In addition, Michael Crossland went deep with a solo blast in the fifth following Potestio’s long ball, helping the Tritons build a commanding 10-0 lead.

Conversely, the Aztecs managed just three baserunners in the first five innings as Finley Bates walked to lead off the first, while Jake Jackson fourth and CJ Moran each drew a base on balls in the fourth. However, all three players were left stranded.

UCSD starter Nathan Ries posted six strikeouts in four innings and held the Scarlet and Black without a hit to help even his record at 2-2 on the year.

Reliever Julian Cazares also retired the first five batters he faced before Jackson laced a two-out single up the middle in the sixth for the host school's first hit of the contest.

SDSU finally broke through with three runs with two outs in the seventh. Xavier Farnum knocked in Jonathan Smith with a run-scoring single and ultimately circled the bases on Evan Escobar’s triple down the right-field line. Moments later, Escobar crossed the plate when Bates reached on a fielding error, but the game abruptly ended when Garrett Davidson induced a fielder’s choice grounder.

UP NEXT
San Diego State will enter a busy stretch of five games in six days, starting Thursday when it opens the second half of Mountain West play with a three-game series at San José State (April 17-19). The Aztecs will return to “America’s Finest City” for a single contest at the University of San Diego on Monday, April 21, before playing host to Cal State Fullerton the next night on April 22.