Dietz’s 900th Comes Two Days Late

After San Diego State lost its opener, 7-6, the Aztecs exploded for six runs in the third inning of the second game and beat Wyoming, 9-4, splitting a crucial Western Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader Sunday in Laramie.

The Aztecs (38-16, 18-8) led second-place Hawaii by one-half game entering the final weekend of the regular season and needed to sweep a four-game series against the sixth-place Cowboys (27-28, 11-14) to guarantee themselves the WAC title, but failed. SDSU lost two of three, with one game rained out, while Hawaii swept Colorado State for the regular-season title.

SDSU Coach Jim Dietz posted his 900th career victory in the second game, while his son, shortstop Steve Dietz, hit his first collegiate home run and extended his hitting streak to 25 games. The Aztecs’ third-inning rally was keyed by RBI singles by Greg Quam, Rick Page and Matt Franco. Reliever Jay Hassel (1-1) struck out four of the 12 batters he faced from the third through sixth innings, giving up one run to get the victory.

The Cowboys scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game. SDSU reliever and loser John Lynn (6-2) walked in the tying run and Mark Iveson drilled an RBI single to center field. Wyoming reliever Joe Carrillo (6-5) was the winner.

Junior all-purpose player Kevin Herde was named team Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row by the University of San Diego. Herde, from San Pasqual High, played three different positions--pitcher, catcher, first base--and led the Toreros in four offensive categories: batting average (.340), hits (66), runs batted in (44) and doubles (13).

Herde also had seven home runs, second on the team, and a 2-1 record, five saves and a 2.76 earned-run average on the mound. Other award winners were Tony Moeder (Outstanding Hitter and RBI Percentage), Jeff Crane (Outstanding Pitcher), Chad Boyd (Golden Glove), Jim Keen (Hustle), Brady Clark (Most Improved) and Mike Saipe (Rookie of the Year).