In a back-and-forth offensive showcase at Tony Gwynn Stadium, the San Diego State Aztecs managed to hold off a late-game surge to secure a 15-10 victory over the Washington State Cougars on Sunday afternoon. The result moved the Cougars to a 7-11 overall record (1-2 in conference), while the Aztecs improved to 11-9 (2-1 in conference).
WSU struck first in the opening frame when Dustin Robinson lined a two-RBI double to center field, scoring Gavin Roy and Matt Priest. However, the Aztecs responded with a massive second inning. Drew Rutter ignited the rally with a two-run single. Then, Max Farrell cleared the bases with a towering four-run home run to left field, propelling SDSU to a 6-2 lead.
The Cougars refused to back down, chipping away at the deficit over the next few innings. After trailing 8-3, WSU mounted a fierce rally in the sixth. A passed ball allowed Dane Chavez to score, and Max Hartman followed with a clutch two-RBI double that leveled the score at 8-8.
The Cougar momentum was short-lived. The Aztecs exploded for five runs in the seventh, highlighted by RBI singles from Tyce Peterson, Adam Magpoc, and Anthony Marnell IV. Magpoc even stole home to cap off the frame, pushing the score to a daunting 15-8.
Despite the gap, Washington State continued to chip away in the final frames. In the eighth, Gavin Roy laced an RBI double to left-center to score Trevor Smith. The Cougars added one more in the ninth when Ryan Skjonsby doubled to right-center, bringing home Robinson, but the comeback effort ultimately fell short as the Aztecs closed the door.
