SAN DIEGO, Calif. – San Diego State scored four times in the first inning against Missouri, then broke the game wide open with another four-run rally in the sixth to snap the Tigers’ three-game win streak with a 10-3 decision Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
SDSU third baseman Colby Turner keyed the first-inning rally with a two-out, three-run double and finished the night 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Aztec charge. On the mound Jacob Riordan struck out six Tigers over 4 2/3 shutout innings of relief.
Mizzou freshmen Drew Culbertson (2-for- 4) and Tucker Moore (2-for-4) turned in multi-hit performances to pace the Tigers.
But Riordan (1-0) and fellow reliever Evan Miranda stymied the MU offense, combining to fan eight hitters while scattering five hits over 6.2 scoreless innings to close out the contest. In all, SDSU pitching stranded 12 Mizzou baserunners, turned a pair of double plays and cut down a total of three runners in scoring position.
The Tigers (3-2), winners of three straight coming into the contest, gained the upper hand in their first at-bat of the night, taking advantage of a pair of walks, a hit batsman and a two-out wild pitch for an early 1-0 advantage.
But the Aztecs (2-3) responded immediately in the home half, scoring four two-out tallies to seize control of the game. A one-out single by Shaun Montoya started the rally, before Jake Jackson drew a walk. Tiger starter Bryce Mayer struck out Brady Lavoie for the second out, but Irvin Weems brought in the equalizing run with a base hit to left-center.
Jacob McCombs kept the rally alive courtesy of a hit by pitch, and Turner lined the first pitch he saw from Mayer into the left-field corner to chase home all three SDSU baserunners.
SDSU added to its lead in the second, using a pair of run-scoring ground balls to stretch the margin to 6-1. Xavier Gonzalez led off the frame by coaxing a walk, before Finley Bates doubled him to third. From there, Montoya’s bouncer to the right side brought home Gonzalez, and a chopper to third by Jackson allowed Bates to score the sixth Aztec run of the night.
Fueled by RBI singles from Moore and Justin Colon in the third, the Tigers cut their deficit down to three runs. The margin could have been even closer if not for the first of three MU baserunners in scoring position who were cut down in the contest. For the game, the Tigers went just 2-for-12 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
Mayer took control for Mizzou on the mound, however. After retiring three SDSU hitters in a row to end the second, the junior right-hander dispatched the next nine Aztecs in succession to end his night after five innings. Mayer (0-2) struck out five while allowing six runs on four hits but held SDSU hitless for the final four frames.
But the Aztec offense roared to life again in the sixth, striking for four more runs on five hits to break the contest open. Turner burned the Tigers again, this time driving an RBI triple to right-center, before Bates and Montoya added run-scoring hits to extend the SDSU bulge to 10-3.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
Mizzou will conclude its West Coast trip Saturday with a 3 p.m. (CST) doubleheader against UC San Diego at Triton Stadium in La Jolla, Calif.
SDSU third baseman Colby Turner keyed the first-inning rally with a two-out, three-run double and finished the night 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Aztec charge. On the mound Jacob Riordan struck out six Tigers over 4 2/3 shutout innings of relief.
Mizzou freshmen Drew Culbertson (2-for- 4) and Tucker Moore (2-for-4) turned in multi-hit performances to pace the Tigers.
But Riordan (1-0) and fellow reliever Evan Miranda stymied the MU offense, combining to fan eight hitters while scattering five hits over 6.2 scoreless innings to close out the contest. In all, SDSU pitching stranded 12 Mizzou baserunners, turned a pair of double plays and cut down a total of three runners in scoring position.
The Tigers (3-2), winners of three straight coming into the contest, gained the upper hand in their first at-bat of the night, taking advantage of a pair of walks, a hit batsman and a two-out wild pitch for an early 1-0 advantage.
But the Aztecs (2-3) responded immediately in the home half, scoring four two-out tallies to seize control of the game. A one-out single by Shaun Montoya started the rally, before Jake Jackson drew a walk. Tiger starter Bryce Mayer struck out Brady Lavoie for the second out, but Irvin Weems brought in the equalizing run with a base hit to left-center.
Jacob McCombs kept the rally alive courtesy of a hit by pitch, and Turner lined the first pitch he saw from Mayer into the left-field corner to chase home all three SDSU baserunners.
SDSU added to its lead in the second, using a pair of run-scoring ground balls to stretch the margin to 6-1. Xavier Gonzalez led off the frame by coaxing a walk, before Finley Bates doubled him to third. From there, Montoya’s bouncer to the right side brought home Gonzalez, and a chopper to third by Jackson allowed Bates to score the sixth Aztec run of the night.
Fueled by RBI singles from Moore and Justin Colon in the third, the Tigers cut their deficit down to three runs. The margin could have been even closer if not for the first of three MU baserunners in scoring position who were cut down in the contest. For the game, the Tigers went just 2-for-12 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
Mayer took control for Mizzou on the mound, however. After retiring three SDSU hitters in a row to end the second, the junior right-hander dispatched the next nine Aztecs in succession to end his night after five innings. Mayer (0-2) struck out five while allowing six runs on four hits but held SDSU hitless for the final four frames.
But the Aztec offense roared to life again in the sixth, striking for four more runs on five hits to break the contest open. Turner burned the Tigers again, this time driving an RBI triple to right-center, before Bates and Montoya added run-scoring hits to extend the SDSU bulge to 10-3.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
- Missouri fell to 2-2 all-time vs. San Diego State.
- Trevor Austin was hit by two pitches in the contest, running his season total to four HBPs and his career total to 33.
- Both Danny Corona and Jackson Lovich were held hitless for the first time in 2024, snapping four-game hit streaks for each.
- Lovich drew three walks and was hit by a pitch to reach safely a season- and career-high four times.
- Culbertson registered his second straight multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 after logging three hits in Thursday’s win over CSUB.
- Moore also delivered his second multi-hit performance as a Tiger, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Three Mizzou pitchers made their debuts Friday, with Kaden Jacobi, Josh McDevitt and Victor Quinn all logging their first appearances in Black and Gold.
- The Tigers dropped to 168-68 in non-conference action since 2014, including a 41-8 mark since the start of the 2022 campaign.
- The Tigers failed to hit a home run for just the second time this season, falling to 0-2 in such games.
Mizzou will conclude its West Coast trip Saturday with a 3 p.m. (CST) doubleheader against UC San Diego at Triton Stadium in La Jolla, Calif.
