Everybody Plays as the Aztecs Rally to Defeat the Toreros, 7-6

As far as intra-city battles go, Tuesday night’s baseball game between the University of San Diego and San Diego State University at SDSU’s Smith Field ranked somewhere between a preseason scrimmage and a split-squad game.

Coaches Jim Dietz of SDSU and John Cunningham of USD used the game as an opportunity to rest their squads from the rigors of conference play, and, by the time SDSU escaped with a 7-6 victory, spectators had received a good look at both teams’ rosters.

SDSU won the game with three runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth. Lance Pinnell singled home Robbie Bailey and Danny Martinez with one out in the ninth for the tying and winning runs.

After Kasey McKeon struck out to lead off the ninth, USD’s Tony Battilega walked three consecutive SDSU batters to set up Pinnell’s game-winning hit.

The Aztecs (24-13-1) entered the game with a four-game winning streak; the Toreros (17-19) came in with a four-game losing streak.

SDSU, which is at Air Force this weekend for a four-game Western Athletic Conference series, began the game with just five regulars.

By the ninth inning, however, Dietz had used five pitchers and had exhausted two-thirds of his roster.

USD, which hosts Loyola Marymount in a West Coast Athletic Conference series this weekend, used most of its regulars for the duration of the game but went through six pitchers.

It became apparent that Cunningham was intent on giving his pitching staff some rest as early as the third inning, when he replaced starter Jim Westlund with Jim Ferguson. Westlund allowed no runs and two hits in his two innings and was never threatened.

It was 5-foot 6-inch Louis Skertich, however, who almost became the hero for USD. The Toreros were ahead, 3-1, and trying to halt an SDSU rally in the fourth when the left-hander was called to the mound.

Skertich slammed the door on the Aztecs by getting Jeff Barry to fly to center to end the fourth and leave two runners stranded. Skertich retired six consecutive batters in the fifth and sixth before giving way to Mike Newby.

USD opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning on three hits, an error and a wild pitch.

The first two batters, shortstop Andy Roberts and second baseman Chris Stout, singled. Roberts advanced to third and Stout to second on a wild pitch, and both scored when first baseman Sean Baron singled and SDSU right fielder Billy Miller overran the ball.

The Toreros increased their lead to 3-0 in the fourth when designated hitter Parris Sorianello reached base as SDSU first baseman Harry Henderson misplayed a chopper. Sorianello advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Roberts drew a bases-loaded walk.

The Aztecs cut the margin to 3-1 when Danny Brown led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third and then scored on two ground balls to first base.

USD came right back in the fifth with three more runs. SDSU reliever Scott Webb hit Mark Trafton with a pitch to lead off the inning, and Trafton moved to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. Baron followed with a double. Dave Rolls, Sorianello and Rick Doane all singled and Trafton, Rolls and Sorianello scored.

The Aztecs rallied for three runs on five hits in the eighth.

Henderson, Chuck McInnis, Jeff Champ, Brian Lutes and Eric Christopherson all singled. Robbie Bailey, pinch-running for Henderson, McInnis and Champ scored.

Rusty Filter and Jim Gibbs shut down USD from the sixth through the ninth innings without allowing a hit.