College Baseball : BYU Cools Aztecs in WAC Opener

Before Friday, the San Diego State University baseball team had won 6 of its past 7 games.

But the Aztecs were cooled off in Friday night’s Western Athletic Conference season-opening doubleheader.

Brigham Young defeated SDSU, 5-4, in the first game when Aztec relief pitcher Jim Gibbs (0-1) walked in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh and final inning.

SDSU is now 17-11-1. BYU is 12-5. The second game Friday was late.

“It’s discouraging to lose the opener like that, but we’ve never done real well in league openers at home,” said Aztec Coach Jim Dietz after the first game. “We seem to do better in openers on the road.

“I think it’s psychological--we want to do more than we’re capable of doing. We missed some signs, especially late in the game.”

BYU’s Ron Sisler, who was 3 for 4, started the seventh with a single. After two were out and Sisler was on third, the Aztecs intentionally walked the next two BYU batters. Designated hitter Mike Wills, the first of the two, had a 3-0 count when Dietz ordered him walked, and Gibbs, a right-hander, worked left-handed batter Gary Daniels to a 3-2 count when Dietz called for the walk.

Gibbs then threw four consecutive balls to Paul Cluff to force in Sisler.

“If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t have walked (Daniels) intentionally,” Dietz said. “I didn’t want Gibbs to pitch to the left-hander, and I figured (loading the bases) wouldn’t bother Gibbs because he’s been there before. But it didn’t work.”

John DeSilva (2-1) went the distance, limiting the Aztecs to eight hits--all singles.

SDSU’s biggest inning was the fourth. Trailing, 4-1, Harry Henderson walked, Lance Pinnell singled, Brian Dunn singled and Jeff Barry blooped a single just past the outstretched glove of BYU shortstop Gary Schoonover to score Henderson and Pinnell.

“We’ve got to make some improvements offensively,” Dietz said in reference to the WAC season. “That’s my biggest concern. We’re not real good offensively yet. In my opinion, we’re not where we should be.”