SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Jacob Johnson went 4 for 5 with a home run and four RBIs to lead Saint Mary’s to a 12-9 victory over San Diego State on Saturday at USD Sports Center. The Gaels pounded out 16 hits to salvage a split of the two-game series.

Johnson set the tone with a leadoff homer in the first inning. He later added a two-run single in the sixth and a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Diego Castellanos added three hits and two RBIs for Saint Mary’s.

Zach Justice drove in four runs for the Aztecs, including a two-run double in a five-run fifth inning that cut a large deficit to 12-7. Dawson Santana had two RBIs for San Diego State.

Sam Kretsch earned the win with four innings of relief. Evan Miranda took the loss for the Aztecs. Saint Mary’s improved to 8-5, while San Diego State fell to 9-6. The teams conclude their series Sunday.