San Diego State Wins 17th Straight

Streaking San Diego State took advantage of the wild pitching by New Mexico Monday to gain its 17th consecutive victory, 7-2, in a Western Athletic Conference baseball game at Smith Field.

New Mexico pitchers threw eight wild pitches--one short of the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. record the Lobos set last season--and the Aztecs scored runs on three of them.

In the first inning, after Chuck McInnis and Anthony Johnson hit back-to-back doubles for a 1-0 lead, Johnson stole third and came home on a wild pitch by New Mexico starter Joe Coleman (5-5). In the fifth, Johnson doubled again, moved to third on one wild pitch and scored on another one.

SDSU led, 6-1, in the eighth inning when Harry Henderson singled and came home after three more wild pitches, all made by Lobo reliever Joe Warren.

John Hemmerly (5-2) struck out nine in 8 innings before needing help from Jim Gibbs. Gibbs worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation to get the victory.

The Aztecs (36-13-1, 14-2) trail Hawaii by one game in the WAC standings with 12 conference games remaining, all on the road for SDSU. The Aztecs will play four games at Hawaii May 13-15.