Utes Dodge Rain Drops, Hammer SDSU 20-7

Friday, April 14

San Diego, Calif.

7:00 PM

University of Utah

18-14, 3-2

San Diego State

12-27, 5-4

Utah

San Diego State

4/15/2006 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 15, 2006

Box Score

SAN DIEGO - The University of Utah baseball team pounded out a season-high 24 hits, hammering San Diego State 20-7 late Friday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Utes put together a nine-run fourth inning to blow open a 5-2 game and cruise to victory.

First baseman Jay Brossman hit a grand slam home run in the decisive fourth inning for Utah (18-14, 3-2 MWC). The first eight Utah batters reached base in the inning. Brossman led off the inning with a double and scored on a single from center fielder John Welsh. Right fielder Joe Mozeleski delivered a two-run double two batters later to make it 8-2.

Another run came home when left fielder Corey Shimada reached on a bunt single and an error. Shorstop Ryan Khoury then walked to load the bases. After SDSU (11-27, 4-4) finally recorded the first out of the inning, Brossman crushed a Brett Douglas offering for his sixth home run of the season. The grand slam put the Utes on top 14-2.

Brossman's home run knocked Douglas, the third of five Aztec pitchers from the game. Douglas and Justin Lynch each lasted just 1/3 of an inning for SDSU.

Utah continued to pour it on against another Aztec reliever - Jared Suwyn - in the fifth. Mozeleski opened the inning with a double. He came home when the next batter, designated hitter Bret Baldwin, smoked a triple to center field. Baldwin scored on a single off the bat of catcher Josh Bell to put the Utes up 16-2. It was 18-2 one batter later when Shimada homered to right field.

Both teams tallied a pair of runs in the sixth and Utah reached the 20-run plateau for the second time this season. Shimada and Bell both had RBIs in the inning for the Utes. San Diego State scored twice in the seventh and once in the ninth, but it was way too little, too late.

The game started after a 34-minute rain delay and Utah grabbed its early 5-2 advantage. The game was delayed for six minutes at one point in the first two innings. Ute shortstop Ryan Khoury and Shimada both had RBI singles in the second. In the third, third baseman Erich Kemp hit his fourth homer of the season - a three-run shot.

Eric King started on the mound for Utah and lasted two innings, until a third rain delay, which lasted more than an hour. Rory James (3-0) took over from there and allowed one run on four hits in two innings of work to pick up the victory. Brian Lane and Brian Hedman got mop-up duty, tossing the final five innings.

Brossman, Welsh and Mozeleski were the offensive stars for Utah. The trio combined to go 12-for-17 at the plate. Each of them knocked in four runs and scored three themselves.

SDSU starter Mike Koons (3-6) suffered the loss. He allowed the first five runs in 2 2/3 innings, before also being knocked out of the game by the third rain delay. It was downhill from there for the Aztec bullpen, which allowed 15 runs on 14 hits.

Utah and San Diego State will wrap up their three-game set with the rubber game set for Saturday at Noon PST.

-UU-