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Aztecs Overcome Six Errors, Utah to Advance SDSU improves to 27-30; Utah falls to 23-31.
May 21, 2003
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - In game two of the 2003 Mountain West Conference Championship, No. 5 seed University of Utah held a late lead in its first-round matchup with No. 2 seed San Diego State University, but was victimized by five late runs, as the Aztecs took a 7-4 win over the Utes. Utah (23-31) took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning, but San Diego State (27-30) caught fire, scoring two runs in the bottom of the 7th and three more insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th to move on to a game against the winner of Tuesday night's Brigham Young vs. New Mexico game. Utah starter Clay Westmoreland (5-7) went 6.1 innings for the Utes, allowing four earned runs and striking out three before being relieved by Ben Buck, who was assigned the Aztecs' final runs. SDSU starter Mike Moat went 6 innings for the Aztecs, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out three batters. He was relieved by Ronnie Lindsey (3-3), who got the win for pitching 2.1 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run. Drew Jenson earned his 5th save of the year, pitching the final two-thirds of the inning to close things out. SDSU got on board first, plating two runs by Landon Burt and Anthony Gwynn in the bottom of the first inning. Utah struck back immediately, tying things up in the top of the 2nd, on an RBI double by Cort Wilson and Jake Jordison's sacrifice, and the score remained at 2-2 until the top of the 5th when the Utes manufactured another run to take a 3-2 lead. The Aztecs reclaimed the lead in the 7th, scoring another pair of runs in RBI by Gwynn and Reilly Embrey to take a 4-3 lead, then added three more in the 8th for their final margin of victory. The Utes left a total of 12 runners on base, including three in the 6th inning and two in the 7th. The two teams combined for a conference tournament record 22 players left on base.
San Diego State will be back in action at 7 p.m. Thursday night in a nationally-televised broadcast (CSTV) while Utah next sees action vs. Air Force at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
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