PHOENIX, Ariz. ? The UC San Diego baseball team split its doubleheader against Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona.  The Tritons dropped the first game 9-7, a game in which UCSD pitchers walked 11 batters.  UCSD rebounded in the nightcap, winning 13-5, with Vance Albitz hitting a grand slam in the win.  Matt Cantele and Scott Clement homered in games one and two, respectively, for UCSD.  Kirby St. John earned the win in game two, winning his second game in as many starts.  UCSD improves to 4-3, while Grand Canyon is 3-4.  UCSD is back in action on Friday, February 16, when it hosts Regis in non-conference action at Triton Baseball Field.  The game is the first game of a four-game weekend series.

It was not a good day to be a pitcher at Brazell Stadium as the two combined to score 34 runs in a double header split.  Grand Canyon took the first game behind strong offensive performances by Dan Collela and Trevor Vega.  Collela broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth that put the 'Lopes up 7-3 and they did not trail the rest of the way.  Collela went 2 for 4 with 4 RBIs, while Vega chipped in with a 3 for 5 performance and 2 RBIs.  UCSD walked 11 batters in the game, which led to trouble and the eventual loss.  Patrick Lawler got the win for GCU and Michael Thomson took the loss for UCSD.

In game two of the doubleheader, the 'Lopes jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before Vance Albitz hit a game tying grand slam in the top of the fourth.  The Tritons added six more runs in the fifth and went on to an eventual 13-5 victory.  The Tritons also got better pitching in the second game by Kirby St. John who went five innings, giving up four runs.  Matt Cantele continued his hot hitting for UCSD as he went 3 for 7 with four RBIs in the two games.  Matt Henne finished his hot weekend by going 2 for 5 with 2 doubles.  The doubleheader split puts GCU's overall record to 3-4 and UCSD sits at 4-3 on the season.