By Michael Bower
On-line Forty-Niner

The seventh-ranked Dirtbags are steamrolling through the competition, having won 12 out of the team’s last 15 games. The Dirtbags carried the hot streak on to the road with wins over San Diego State and 22nd ranked Wichita State.
 
It’s not very often the Dirtbags find themselves in a slugfest but on Wednesday against the San Diego State Aztecs they were in just that. After the first three innings the Dirtbags trailed 5-0 but the 49er bats came alive in the fourth as the offense sent 17 players to the plate and scored 11 times to help defeat the Aztecs 14-11 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
 
The Aztecs jumped on Dirtbag starter Matt Paz early by scoring three runs in the first inning and two in the second - taking a quick 5-0 lead. The Dirtbag offense sputtered early but then hit the gas in the fourth inning to take an 11-5 lead.
 
“It was early so I don’t think there was any sort of panic,” Head Coach Mike Weathers said about trailing 5-0. “We have been down before so I don’t think the guys panicked at all.”
 
The Dirtbags sent 23 players to the plate over the fourth and fifth innings — showing they have the offensive firepower to hang in a slugfest as they pounded out 15 hits in the game. Tim Hutting reeled out three hits while Travis Udvarhelyi, Brad Davis, Todd Jennings and Adam Heether each collected two hits apiece in the four hour and six minute marathon.
 
The Aztec offense raked out 14 hits of its own including three home runs. Anthony Gwynn and James Guerrero went 3-for-5 as Jake McLintock and Curt Mendoza had two hits apiece.
 
Paz struggled early and was forced to exit the game in the second inning. Scott Shoemaker retired 10 in a row before giving up a two-run homer to Guerrero in the eighth inning to make the score 14-11. Brett Andrade recorded his first collegiate win for the Dirtbags as Carlos Muniz picked up the save by striking out the side in the ninth.
 
Weathers said that Paz is still recovering from surgery and he isn’t where he wants to be yet. Paz had Tommy John surgery and red shirted last year for the Dirtbags.
 
Sean Boatright doubled to leadoff the fourth inning. Jennings then singled home the Dirtbags’ first run after back-to-back walks. John Bowker made it 5-2 with a sacrifice fly before Udvarheyli singled in another run to cut the lead to 5-4. Davis then tied the game at five with a RBI single before Hutting put the Dirtbags on top 6-5 with an RBI double.
 
Heether got into the action his second time around in the inning with a two-run single to make the score 8-5. Bowker contributed with a RBI single his second at bat before Jennings knocked in two runs with an infield single to complete the 11-run inning.
 
On Saturday the Dirtbags hit three solo home runs but it was Tulowitzki’s RBI single in the eighth inning that proved to be the difference as the Dirtbags defeated Wichita State 4-3 at Eck Stadium in Wichita.
 
The Dirtbags aren’t known to be a power-hitting team but Wichita State saw different when Udvarhelyi, Boatright, and Mike Hofius hit solo shots for the Dirtbags to give them a 3-0 lead after four innings.
 
Abe Alvarez bounced back on the mound after giving up five runs in his last outing to throw six innings giving up two runs on five hits. Alvarez had to settle for his second consecutive no-decision as Wichita State tied the game 3-3 with a pinch-hit double by Mark Johnson off Neil Jamison. Jamison went on to record the win pitching two innings and striking out two. Muniz picked up his fourth save of the year with a perfect ninth inning.
 
Davis led the offense with three hits while Heether and Tulowitzki had two hits apiece for the Dirtbags.

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