San Diego State knows how to win in the Mountain West Conference baseball tournament. All they have to do is lose first.
For the third straight year the Aztecs dropped a game early and survived the loser's bracket to win the MWC Tourney title and the berth to the NCAA Tournament that comes with it.
The Aztecs lost their first game on Thursday, falling to Fresno St. 15-7.
“When we got on the bus that night (after the first game loss), I said we have them right where we want them,” said Aztecs head coach Mark Martinez. “Our guys responded. We got after it offensively.”
And then some. SDSU won five games over the next three days, never scoring fewer than six runs.
Tournament MVP Seby Zavala tied the MWC Tournament record with five home runs. He went 2-for-3 in the championship game on Sunday, a 6-4 win over New Mexico.
“I can’t do this without my teammates,” Zavala said. “They’re a big part of this.”
Over the last three years SDSU has played 12 elimination games at the MWC Tournament and won them all. The Aztecs learn where and who they will play in the regionals on Monday morning.
2015 Mountain West All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: Seby Zavala, C, San Diego State
Taylor Ward, C, Fresno State
Lane Milligan, OF, New Mexico
Carson Schneider, P, New Mexico
Carl Stajduhar, 3B, New Mexico
Jack Zoellner, 1B, New Mexico
Jacob Erikson, P, San Diego State
Mark Seyler, P, San Diego State
Spencer Thornton, OF, San Diego State
Designated Hitter: Justin Wylie, San Diego State
Relief Pitcher: Jacob DeVries, Air Force
