Oregon State edges Aztecs 2-0 in pitching duel

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San Diego State junior Philip Walby earned a spot as the Aztecs' No. 2 starting pitcher during the fall when the hard-throwing right-hander displayed improved command and presence on the mound.

Walby's development was evident Friday night against Oregon State during a pitching duel won by the No. 6-ranked Beavers, who defeated the Aztecs 2-0 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The game was scoreless into the eighth inning before Oregon State pushed across a pair of runs on two-out hits by Danny Hayes and Dylan Davis. Oregon State (6-0) remained unbeaten while handing No. 22-ranked SDSU (3-2) its second straight loss.

Aztecs senior right-hander Ryan Doran (1-0) is scheduled to start Saturday at 1 p.m. in the third game of the four-game series.

Walby (0-1), who did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, pitched 7.2 innings against Oregon State. He allowed just two hits while walking two with nine strikeouts. Both walks came in the first inning, but Walby got a double-play grounder to get out of the inning. He hit two batters in the third inning, but got out of that predicament with a strikeout, ground out and a popup.

Walby then sailed along until the eighth, when the Beavers' Max Gordon led off with a single. Gordon was sacrificed to second and went to third on an infield out before Hayes scored him with a single to left field. Hayes advanced to third base moments later on a two-base throwing error by SDSU catcher Brad Haynal. Hayes then scored on a double by Davis.

Oregon State starting pitcher Matt Boyd (2-0) matched Walby inning-for-inning, and then some. Boyd kept the Aztecs off the scoreboard for 8.1 innings before teammate Scott Schultz came on to get the final two outs for the shutout.

Boyd, who allowed five hits, struck out nine and walked one, allowed jut two hits over the first six innings.

Both Aztecs hits came in the third inning — a double by Avondre Bollar and a single by John Spirk — but failed to produce a run. In the seventh, Haynal hit a two-out single to left field and advanced to second when the ball was misplayed. Teammate Ty France followed with a walk and Steven Pallares had an infield single to load the bases. The Beavers got out of the inning, however, when Bollar hit a grounder to shortstop that was used to force out Pallares at second base.