The Aztecs Run Wild in Opener : Record Nine Steals Help SDSU Defeat New Mexico, 8-4

San Diego State, which has relied mainly on pitching and power during its 15-game Western Athletic Conference winning streak, employed a different weapon Thursday night in its WAC playoff opener against New Mexico--the stolen base.

The Aztecs made life miserable for Lobo catcher Bob Velasco by stealing a playoff-record nine bases en route to an 8-4 victory in front of 1,007 fans at Smith Field.

Steve Hill, the Aztecs’ second basemen, stole four bases including a theft of home that put SDSU ahead to stay, 4-3, in the fourth inning. Hill’s steals broke the playoff record of three set last by BYU’s Jim Mecate in 1984. The Aztecs’ Tom LeVasseur stole three bases. The previous stolen-base record for a team in a WAC playoff game was six, set by Arizona in 1963 and tied by Hawaii against SDSU in 1982.

The Aztecs’ work on the bases helped them overcome an early 3-1 New Mexico lead and made a winner of right-hander Scott Lawrence (7-2). Lawrence allowed eight hits and two walks, but forced New Mexico to leave eight runners on base. He struck out 10.

“We were backed into a corner a little bit early in the game so we went to our running game,” SDSU Coach Jim Dietz said. “We were guessing right as to when to run.” The Aztecs actually started the game tentatively.

New Mexico scored twice in the top of the first inning on John Snyder’s two-run home run to right. It was Snyder’s 12th homer of the year.

Snyder came into the game hitting .511 in his last 11 games and had homered in five straight. He extended his streak to six by hit a 1-0 pitch from Scott Lawrence over the wall. Steve Sparks, who had singled with one out, scored ahead of him.

SDSU came back with one in the bottom of the first. Eric Woods doubled, stole third and scored on a passed ball by Velasco.

Snyder drove in his third run of the game in the third inning with a sacrifice fly. Steve McKee walked to start the inning and went to third when Steve Montejano allowed Glen Russell’s potential double-play grounder to go through his legs for an error.

The Aztecs came back in the bottom of the third, tying the game on Deron Johnson’s two-run home run off New Mexico starter Ken Yonker (4-3). Johnson’s eighth homer of the season followed a two-out walk to Dan Lopes and seemed to snap SDSU out of its early lethargy.

“I’d say we were tight at the start,” Dietz said. “That home run by Johnson was definitely a big hit. You could see our team start to gain some confidence.”

The Aztecs were confident all night long on the bases. They stole four bases in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.

Hill walked and stole second and LeVasseur bunted for a hit. LeVasseur then stole second.

After Woods struck out, Nikco Riesgo tried to squeeze home Hill. He failed on his bunt attempt, but Yonker’s pitch--a curve in the dirt--bounced to backstop and Hill scored. Hill was credited with a stolen base, as was LeVasseur, who took third on the play.

In other WAC playoff action:

Hawaii 12, Wyoming 0--Mark Furtak, who graduated from San Diego’s Mount Carmel High School, pitched a four-hitter and struck out seven to lead the Rainbows to an easy win in Thursday’s first game.

Randy Oyama drove in four runs on a double and three ground outs to pace Hawaii’s 18-hit attack. Kelsey Isa had three hits and John Matias drove in two runs to help Hawaii.

“This is the kind of game we needed to get our confidence back,” Hawaii Coach Les Murakami said. “After that sweep against SDSU last weekend, we were a bit down on ourselves.”

Hawaii scored two runs in the first inning on a ground out by Oyama and an RBI single by Matias.

The Rainbows added three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to turn the game into a rout. RBI singles by Mike McWherter and Isa capped Hawaii’s rally in the fourth.

Furtak allowed only two runners to reach second base. He finished strong, retiring the final seven Wyoming batters.

Today’s Schedule--Wyoming will meet New Mexico in the loser’s bracket game at 11 a.m. Wyoming took six of eight from the Lobos during the regular season. San Diego State and Hawaii, who have split their eight meetings this year, will play in the winner’s bracket game at 3 p.m. The winner of the Wyoming-New Mexico game and the loser of the SDSU-Hawaii game will play at 7 tonight.