Petco Opener Provides Record Attendance

By Will Kimmey
March 12, 2004

The first game at the Padres' new ballpark was set up to be a celebration of Tony Gwynn and San Diego baseball.

Gwynn had a street named after him, and his daughter Anisha sang the national anthem as the former Padres all-star led his second San Diego State team against Houston on Thursday at Petco Park. And an NCAA record 40,106 fans showed up for the event.

But Scott Shoemaker stole the show. The Aztecs senior righthander threw a complete-game three-hitter and set a career high with 14 strikeouts in a 4-0 San Diego State win.

"I just tried to stay focused," Shoemaker told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "That was the main thing. I wanted to stick with my game tonight.

"I was very nervous with the first couple of pitches. It was crazy. Insane."

The key number on the night wasn't Shoemaker's strikeout total or the three singles he allowed in the game, but the 40,106 fans who helped destroy the previous record of 27,673 set in a 2002 contest between Louisiana State and Tulane at the Louisiana Superdome.

"It is almost an honor to be here," Carol Harman told the Union-Tribune while watching the game with her husband and son. "I also think it's great that San Diego State benefits from it."

Aztecs senior first baseman Rielly Embrey hit the park's first home run, a two-run shot in the fourth inning. "Forty thousand people is beyond our dreams for college baseball," said Embrey, who had three hits and three RBIs. "It was a thrill."

The Aztec Invitational continues through Sunday, with No. 9 Long Beach State Nebraska, UCLA, UC San Diego, San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene joining San Diego State and Houston in the action.