Showing posts with label Aztecs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aztecs. Show all posts
Brigham Young pounded out 19 hits and got a solid pitching performance by Matthew Neil as it defeated San Diego State, 9-3, to capture the final game of their three-game conference series at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Even with the loss, the Aztecs maintained their slim hold on fourth place in the Mountain West Conference standings by percentage points over BYU and UNLV.
SDSU freshman left-hander Mitch Bluman struggled from the outset in his third start of the season as he escaped runners on third base in each of the first two innings. He was not as fortunate in the third when the Cougars got to him for a pair of runs on a walk and three hits for a 2-0 lead.
One of those hits was recorded by BYU right fielder Jaycob Brugman, who tortured the Aztecs all afternoon. Brugman would end his day with four hits including the double along with a two-run homer and four RBI.
Brigham Young starter Matthew Neil held the Aztec hitless over the first four innings, but they did manage answer BYU's two-run outburst by scoring a run in bottom of the third. Dillon Bryant's grounder was misplayed by BYU first baseman Austin Hall for a two-base error. A ground out by Evan Potter moved Bryant to third and sacrifice fly by Cody Smith made it a 2-1 game.
But the visitors took control of the contest with four runs in the next frame, a rally that began with a leadoff triple by Bret Lopez and ended with Brugman's two-run blast to right. The Cougars would touch up Aztec pitching on the day for a hit total that included five doubles along with the triple and home run.
Freshman DH Ben Vasko did his part to get SDSU back into the contest with a solo home run, his second of the season, to lead off the fifth. He was the lone Aztec to reach base more than once in the game as he also drew a walk and was hit by pitch.
San Diego State's other run came in the bottom of the seventh when it put men on first and second on a single by Jomel Torres and hit by pitch to Vasko. A wild pitch moved both runners up before a grounder to short by Tim Zier brought Torres home for the final 9-3 score.
Neil's day ended after that inning and he would be credited with the win to improve to 5-4. His line included three runs (two earned) on two hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. SDSU's Bluman took the loss to fall to 0-1 although he gave up just a pair of runs with three strikeouts during his 2.1 innings.
Up next for San Diego State is a three-game conference series at UNLV next weekend to conclude the 2011 regular season. The first contest of that set is scheduled for Thursday, May 18, at 7:00 p.m. at Earl Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.
