Aztecs Open Kevin Vance Era with a Victory, Outlasting LIU, 12-11

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State baseball head coach Kevin Vance collected his first career victory on Friday, as theAztecs hung on for a 12-11 triumph over LIU in their 2026 season opener at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

SDSU erupted for six runs in the fourth inning to erase a 3-0 deficit and take the lead for good but had to withstand a belated Sharks rally in the ninth to secure the win.

Three players from the Aztecs’ heralded newcomer class combined for nine of the team’s 14 hits, led by Adam Magpoc, who went 4-for-4 at the plate, four RBIs and three runs scored. The Boston College transfer also drew a walk and stole two bases in his debut for the Scarlet and Black.

In addition, SDSU received a pair of big nights from Oregon State transfers Jabin Trosky and Dawson Santana. Trosky enjoyed a 3-for-3 performance with an RBI and three runs scored, while Santana contributed two hits (2-for-3), three RBIs and two runs scored.

Elsewhere, Arizona State transfer Rohan Lettow struck out a career-high 10 batters in his first start as an Aztec before giving way to Bryce McKnight early in the fifth.

Despite allowing three runs on four hits and one walk in three innings of relief, McKnight (1-0), an Arizona transfer who played for Vance last season, was credited with the victory, as the Scarlet and Black scored at least one run in five consecutive frames to keep LIU at bay.

After stranding five runners in the first three innings, SDSU finally broke through in the fourth, sending 11 men to the plate to score six runs on five hits.

Trosky knocked in the Aztecs’ first run of the night with a ground-rule double into the right-field corner, plating Zach Justice, who was issued a lead-off walk and advanced on Anthony Marnell IV’s one-out single through the right side.

Moments later, Santana reached on an infield hit up the middle to bring home Marnell, while Max Farrell drew a walk. Magpoc kept the momentum rolling with a two-run single to right, chasing LIU starter Nicholas Finarelli, as Trosky and Santana crossed the plate.

After Jake Jackson’s base hit, Farrell scored when Tyce Peterson drew a bases-loaded walk, while Magpoc quickly raced home on a wild pitch.

LIU managed to stem the tide somewhat in the fifth on Nicholas Matson’s RBI single, but SDSU countered the threat in its half of the inning with two markers of its own to build an 8-4 cushion.

Trosky reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second before circling the bases on Farrell’s base hit to shallow right, while Santana also singled and ultimately scored on Magpoc’s sacrifice fly.

The teams traded runs in the sixth before the Sharks narrowed the gap to 9-7 in the top of the seventh, as Cord Dobrinski scored on Ryan Rivera’s slow chopper to third, while Matson trotted home on Joe Durso’s sacrifice fly to left.

However, the Aztecs seemingly extinguished the threat with three runs over the two ensuing frames. Magpoc crossed the plate on Justice’s double-play grounder to third in the SDSU seventh, while Santana’s sacrifice fly in the eighth plated Zane Kelly before Trosky scored on another Magpoc hit down the right-field line.

Leading by a comfortable 12-7 margin, the Aztec advantage nearly evaporated when LIU put up a four-spot on four hits in the top of the ninth.

Matson and Noah Sorensen led off with consecutive singles, while Rivera followed with ground-rule double to deep left-center. Aidan Russell soon replaced Connor Abadie on the  hill for SDSU, retiring Jake Kelleher on a sacrifice fly to left, which brough home Sorensen, before yielding a two-run homer to Joe Durso.

Despite a walk to Elijah Fairchild, however, the Aztec reliever maintained his composure, posting strikeouts of Mason Breton and Tyler Benick, as the SDSU bench erupted in jubilation.

The Sharks matched the Aztecs’ production with 14 hits of their own, including four apiece by Matson and Rivera, the latter of whom led all players with five RBIs, including a solo homer in the first and a two-run single in the third that put the visitors up 3-0.

Finarelli (0-1) absorbed the loss for LIU after allowing six runs on six hits and six walks in 3 1/3 innings of work.

San Diego State and LIU resume their weekend series on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 5 p.m. PT. Drew Talavs is slated to start for the Aztecs, while the Sharks are expected to counter with Justin DeCastro.