Pair of Wins Over New Mexico Gives SDSU 16-Game Streak

As the San Diego State University baseball team prepares for its final home game of the spring this afternoon at 2 p.m. against the University of New Mexico, the beatings go on.

SDSU got its 15th and 16th straight victories Sunday afternoon, sweeping a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader from New Mexico, 13-0, and 8-4.

The Aztecs are 35-13-1 and 13-2 in conference play. New Mexico is 16-21-1, 4-7.

“It’s a good group of kids,” said Jim Dietz, SDSU coach. “They’re keeping their emotions under control, which is good. To be honest, I don’t know if a lot of them know about the streak. All we’re trying to do is push for first place.”

The second-place Aztecs trail Hawaii in a tight WAC race. SDSU closes the season with a 14-game trip, including a four-game series in Hawaii, May 13-15.

“On the road, you have to be able to handle adversity, which can be weather, field conditions, crowd noise, or umpiring,” Dietz said. “Streaks are nice, but in baseball, you have to be consistent in the little things--pitchers getting their offspeed pitches over, holding runners on base, or whatever.”

At home on Sunday, the Aztecs were consistent in nearly every aspect of the game.

In the opener, they scored three runs before their first out in the bottom of the first, and collected eight hits and eight runs before New Mexico had gone through their batting order for the first time.

In the second game, they came from behind. Trailing, 4-3, after three innings, SDSU chipped away at New Mexico pitcher Ty Van Dyke for four singles and three runs.

The doubleheader sweep featured quality:

--Pitching: In the first game, right-hander John Marshall (7-1) allowed only a single in the second and another in the fifth.

In the second game, starter Erik Plantenberg was touched for all four runs in the third, but reliever Dave Riddle (4-2) came on for 7 innings and handcuffed the Lobos. He gave up just two hits and struck out eight.

--Offense: SDSU got its 21 runs on 23 hits. Thirteen players collected at least one RBI. Harry Henderson hit a two-run home run in the second game, Brian Lutes extended his hitting streak to 10 games and Jeff Champ extended his to nine.

--Defense: SDSU right-fielder Billy Miller made the defensive play of the day when he made a diving catch of a Dave Kirkpatrick fly ball in the first inning of the first game.

SDSU double plays in the second and third innings of the first game halted New Mexico rallies. The Aztecs made just one error on the day. New Mexico had five in the second game.