Seven-Run Second Inning Dooms Utah Baseball

Friday, April 13

Franklin Covey Field

6:00 PM

University of Utah

14-19, 3-4

San Diego State

22-15, 7-2

San Diego St.

Utah Utes

4/13/2007 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 13, 2007

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - A seven-run second inning for San Diego State was all the Aztecs needed to take the first game of a three-game set with the University of Utah baseball team Friday night at Franklin Covey Field.

Utah starter Kerr Foster got out of a jam after two walks in the first inning. But control issues doomed him in the second. Foster's first pitch of the second inning plunked SDSU's Brian Lucas. After recording one out on a looper to second base, Foster walked two more and allowed two singles to fall behind 2-0 and get knocked from the contest with the bases loaded.

Ute reliever Stephen Fife couldn't put out the fire. San Diego State sandwiched a two-run single and a one-run single around a line drive out to increase its advantage to 5-0. Fife then walked a batter of his own and allowed another two-run single, as the Aztecs grabbed a 7-0 lead. Utah second baseman Corey Shimada made a great play on a ball that caromed off the pitcher's mound just to get the Utes out of the second inning.

Utah (14-19, 3-4 MWC) tried to get back into the contest with a two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning. Third baseman Erich Kemp singled up the middle to get things started with two down. On the next pitch from SDSU starter Donnie Hume, Ute shortstop Mike Mitchell pounded a triple off the base of the center-field wall to score Kemp.

Mitchell scored when center fielder Nate Burnham singled to right-center. Burnham then stole second and scored on a Shimada single off the pitcher's glove and into short right field, pulling Utah within four, 7-3.

But that's as close as the Utes would get. San Diego State (22-15, 7-2 MWC) got a single tally in the top of the third to take an 8-3 lead. Neither team scored again. Hume (4-2) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs for the Aztecs. J.R. Murphy and Mike Koons combined to toss 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief to close out the win for SDSU.

Utah reliever Geoff Wolgramm tossed the final four innings, keeping the Aztecs off the scoreboard. But the Utah offense couldn't take advantage of the opportunity to get back into the contest. Burnham was the only Ute with more than one hit, going 2-for-5. Both teams were limited to just seven hits. Garrett Green was 3-for-4 with two RBIs to pace the SDSU offensive attack.

Game two of the series is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday at Franklin Covey Field.

-UU-