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Aztecs beat Lobos for seventh straight time
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
April 1, 2023 (Albuquerque) - San Diego State scored two runs in the ninth inning on Saturday to defeat New Mexico, 3-1, in the second game of a Mountain West series at Santa Ana Star Field.
With the win, the Aztecs (9-13, 6-3 MW) secured their third straight conference series victory and beat the Lobos (15-10, 5-5 MW) for the seventh consecutive occasion and 10th time in their 11 encounters.
With the scored knotted at 1-1, Poncho Ruiz led off the ninth with a double down the left-field line off UNM reliever Brian McBroom and advanced to third on TJ Fondtain’s fly ball to right center. Moments later, Xavier Gonzalez reached on an error after a grounder to third caromed off the glove of Devon Dixon, allowing Ruiz to cross the plate with the go-head run.
Tino Bethancourt soon followed with a base hit to left, while McBroom induced a popout to David Whittle. However, Cade Martinez gave the Scarlet and Black some insurance with an RBI single through the right side, as Gonzalez raced home to account for the final score.
Closer Kelena Sauer picked up his second save in as many games and fifth of the season to preserve the victory for Robert Brodell (4-1), who was credited with his team-leading fourth win of the year after pitching a scoreless eighth.
In the ninth, Sauer induced a groundout to pinch hitter Jake Holland before yielding a single to Chase Weissenborn. However, the Aztec junior escaped danger when Konner Kindade lined into a double play at shortstop to end the game.
Previously, Brodell fanned Braydon Runion and Reed Spenrath to start the eighth, while Deylan Pigford lined out to center field after Kyle Smith drew a walk.
The contest featured a pitcher’s duel between SDSU’s Chris Canada and UNM’s Tristin Lively for much of the afternoon, with the two starters combining for 17 strikeouts.
Canada tied his career high with nine strikeouts, allowing just one run on five hits and a trio of walks before giving way to Ricky Tibbett with one out in the seventh.
The Lobos plated their lone run of the game in the third when Jeffery David walked and advanced to third on Lenny Junior Ashby’s single up the middle before crossing the plate on Runion’s double down the left-field line. However, Canada prevented further damage by fanning Spenrath and Smith to end the inning.
The Aztecs got the equalizer in the fourth when TJ Fondtain belted a solo homer with two outs on the first offering from Lively for his team-leading fourth round-tripper of the year.
The Lobos seemed poised to take the lead in the sixth when Smith drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a groundout and a throwing error following Dixon’s grounder to the left side. Canada then sailed a high pitch that caromed off the backstop into the waiting glove of the catcher Ruiz, who flipped the ball underhanded to the Aztec hurler at the plate, tagging out Smith on a close play to keep the host school off the scoreboard.
Lively countered five hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in eight innings of work before yielding to DeBroom to start the ninth.
Ruiz, Fondtain and Martinez combined for six of SDSU’s eight hits with two apiece, while Ashby led the Lobos with two hits of his own in the defeat.
San Diego State will look to complete the weekend sweep on Sunday when the teams lock horns in the series finale, starting at noon MT/11 a.m. PT. The Aztecs-Lobos clash will air live on the Mountain West Network.
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