Koegel tosses complete game in 7-3 win over SDSU

May 4, 2002

Junior pitcher Johnny Koegel threw a complete game and Josh Phifer hit a three-run homer in the sixth as Air Force defeated San Diego State, 7-3, in a Mountain West Conference baseball game Saturday at the Academy's Falcon Field.

Koegel tossed his second consecutive complete game and his third of the season. The right-hander from West Hills, Calif., held the Aztecs to three runs, all earned, on 12 hits with six strikeouts and two walks. He threw 149 pitches in the nine-inning game. In Friday's game, Falcon right-hander Matt Kaercher threw 173 pitchers in a complete game victory over the Aztecs.

The victory improved the Falcons to 24-22 overall and 11-11 in the MWC. Air Force has now won five straight conference home games, tying the school record set in 1982. AFA has also won six of the last seven games. San Diego State fell to 35-18 overall and 16-7 in the MWC. The Aztecs remain in first place in the conference while Air Force jumped into a tie for third place with Utah.

Koegel took a shutout into the eighth inning before Royce Ring's single scored Carlo Cota for the Aztecs' first run. The Falcons led 1-0 in the second inning when Derck Kasel doubled and scored on Steve Winters' RBI single. In the fourth inning, Kasel again doubled and scored on Winters' single. Winters came around to score on Nelson Prouty's double off the right-field fence for a 3-0 lead.

The Falcons broke the game open in the sixth. Dan Petro led off with an infield single. He scored on Tony Shockley's single to centerfield. Josh Phifer delivered the big blow as he hit a three-run homer to left field for a 7-0 lead. Phifer's home run was his team-leading 12th of the season.

San Diego State scored two in the top of the ninth. Rielly Embry doubled and scored on Josh Hill's single. Tabor Lee reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Landon Burt's single through the right side with two outs. Koegel retired the final batter on his own as he struck out Cota on three pitches to end the game.

Ten different Aztecs combined for 12 hits in the game. Cota and Jake McLintock led the team with two hits each. Derck Kasel, Winters and Prouty each had two hits for the Falcons. Phifer led the Falcons with three RBI.

Air Force and San Diego State conclude the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Falcon Field.

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