May 8, 2004
Box Score
(San Diego, CA) - San Diego won for the tenth time in eleven games, convincingly defeating Gonzaga 16-0 Saturday afternoon at USD's Cunningham Stadium. San Diego (30-20, 16-10) reaches the 30-win plateau for the 5th consecutive season, a new USD school record. Aaron Wilson hurled eight shutout innings to win his league-leading ninth game while Josh Hansen and Jordan Abruzzo hit back-to-back homeruns. USD blanks Gonzaga for the second straight day and have now won four-of-five games against the Zags this season.
San Diego's 16 runs and 21 hits equal season-highs. Jordan Abruzzo, a switch-hitting freshman catcher from nearby El Cajon, went 4-for-6, hit his sixth homerun of the season and drove in three runs. After hitting a walk-off game-winning homerun Friday, Josh Hansen was a perfect 3-for-3 Saturday, hitting his sixth homerun, doubling and scoring twice. Infielder's Keoni Ruth and Randy Curtis each totaled three hits. Ruth had three RBI's and Curtis doubled, scored three times and stole a base.
Gonzaga (20-25, 12-11) lefty Ed Clelland was ripped for 13 hits and seven earned runs through five and a third innings. Clelland (4-6) was relieved by sophomore Josh Monroe who promptly gave up six runs on seven hits over two innings. The Bulldog offense was held scoreless on four hits Saturday after being shutout on three hits Friday.
Aaron Wilson (9-3) is now fourth all-time at USD in wins (27) and eighth in career K's (207). The senior from Lakeside fanned six and allowed just four hits in eight scoreless innings Saturday. Sean Warlop worked a flawless ninth, retiring the WCC's leading hitter Kiel Thibault on strikes to end the game.
18 different Toreros participated in the rout. San Diego improved its West Coast Conference mark to 16-10 after starting the league season 1-7. USD is hitting .335 collectively in WCC play, with SS Jose Ortega (.407 BA), C Jordan Abruzzo (28 RBI) and Josh Hansen (.373 BA) leading the way. The Torero rotation of Aaron Wilson, Kyle Collins and Justin Blaine are a combined 12-2 inside the WCC and closer Nate Boman has four saves and a 0.89 ERA.
The Toreros will honor an outstanding senior class and attempt to sweep Gonzaga when the series concludes Sunday afternoon at 1pm.
