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USD vs SDSU Box Feb 20

SAN DIEGO-- The USD Toreros (3-2) came away with a hard-fought 3-2 decision over San Diego State this evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Pinch hitter Dante Gutierrez sliced a two-out double down the left field line that scored Jay Schuyler from first base for the game winning run in the top of the 10th. RHP Justin Friedman closed out the game with two strikeouts over the final 1.3 innings to improve his record to 1-1.

Freshman RHP Gabriel Ponce earned his first start of the season and pitched five solid innings, scattering five hits and giving up just one run while totaling six strikeouts. Daniel Gardner gave the Toreros an early 1-0 lead with a long homer over the rightfield fence in the second inning. San Diego State knotted the score at 1-all in the 4th inning when Jordan Vernon singled through the left side that scored Chase Calabuig.

LHP Anthony Donatella pitched the sixth inning and escaped a bases load situation by striking out the side. RHP Travis Kuhn pitched back-to-back scoreless innings in the 7th and 8th. In the top of the ninth the Toreros used three hits to take a 3-2 lead with Kevin Collard's single to right field scoring Gardner. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Grant Mayeaux singled to center field off of Travis Kuhn that plated Matt Rudick to knot the score at 2-all and send the game to extra innings. <>< the="" game="" winning="" run="" was="" set-up="" by="" schuyler="" reaching="" first="" on="" an="" aztec="" error="" as="" he="" slid="" under="" a="" high="" throw.="" that="" set="" up="" the="" big="" hit="" from="" gutierrez.="">

For the game Gardner collected a home run, single and double as he went 3-for-4 with two runs and 1 RBI. Freshman right fielder Tora Otsuka also collected three hits in five plate appearances. USD pitching combined for 16 strikeouts against the Aztecs (3-1). SDSU was paced Calabuig and Verdon, each with 2 RBIs.

San Diego returns to Fowler Park on Friday to face Michigan in a 6:00 p.m. contest in the Tony Gwynn Legacy.