SEATTLE – San Diego State secured its third consecutive victory on Saturday, defeating Washington 3-2 in a tightly contested pitchers’ duel at Husky Ballpark. The win follows a 9-4 season-opening triumph over the Huskies on Friday, where the Aztecs recorded a season-high 16 hits, according to the San Diego State Athletics department.
Aztecs’ starting pitcher Drew Talavs (2-1) delivered a strong performance, allowing only one run on two hits and three walks over six innings, while also achieving a career-high eight strikeouts. The Huskies managed to take an early lead in the first inning with an RBI single by Mic Paul, scoring Casen Taggart, who had doubled to right-center field. Talavs quickly recovered, however, striking out Braeden Terry and inducing a groundout from Ty Cowan.
The Aztecs threatened in the second inning with a two-out double from Zach Justice and a hit-by-pitch for Dawson Santana, but Washington starter Jackson Thomas prevented any scoring with a groundout from Anthony Marnell IV. Thomas continued to stifle the Aztecs’ offense, retiring the next seven batters before issuing a walk to Santana in the fifth.
Zane Kelly broke the scoreless tie for San Diego State in the fifth, hitting a double to deep right field that allowed Santana to score, tying the game at 1-1. The Aztecs continued to build momentum, ultimately taking the lead and holding on for the 3-2 victory.
Reliever Simon Lemke added to the pitching effort with two strikeouts in his single inning of work. Connor Abadie closed out the game, earning his first collegiate save with a game-ending strikeout. The Aztecs’ pitching staff collectively limited the Huskies (1-9) to just four hits.
San Diego State (7-3) will continue its series against Washington, with games scheduled for Sunday and Monday at Husky Ballpark. The Aztecs previously faced Washington in San Diego, securing a win, while Washington defeated Gonzaga in Seattle, as noted in a report by the Associated Press. San Diego State is also preparing for a challenging matchup against No. 15 Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington, on Dec. 29.
Stanford defeated San Diego State 5-0 on November 2, 2023, at Cagan Stadium, netting a season-best five goals. The Cardinal’s Zach Bohane led all scorers with five points, contributing two goals and one assist.