LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The UC San Diego baseball team split a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Triton Baseball Field, giving UCSD three wins in the four game series. In the first game of the doubleheader, Matt Lawson doubled and tripled and had three RBI. Matt Cantele had a double and blasted his team-leading 10th homerun as the Tritons took the first game 9-2. Daniel Simmons pitched six innings, allowing one run to earn the win and improve to 4-2 on the season. In the second game, UCSD scored first on a Lawson solo homerun, but a three-run CSUSB second gave the Coyotes the edge they needed as CSUSB went on to take the game 4-3. UCSD is now 19-9, 11-5 CCAA, while CSUSB is now 16-11, 12-8 CCAA.
Game One UCSD 9, CSUSB 2
In the Triton first, Vance Albitz led off the game with a double to left center. Matt Cantele followed that up with his own double to left center for an RBI and the Tritons led 1-0 after one.
In the UCSD third, Albitz led off with a single and Cantele walked. Matt Lawson then tripled down the left field line, driving in two and giving UCSD a 3-0 lead. David Morehead then singled through the left side for an RBI, driving in Lawson for the 4-0 edge.
Tim Mort led off the fourth with a double to right center. With two outs, Lawson lined a double to right center for an RBI, and UCSD led 5-0.
In the CSUSB fifth, the Coyotes' Nick Hammer hit a sac fly, driving in Tony Haro for CSUSB's first run.
In the UCSD fifth, Garrett Imeson led off with a single and advanced to second on John Roth's sac bunt. With two outs, James Ferguson reached on an error and Imeson scored an unearned run giving UCSD a 6-1 lead.
CSUSB loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. With two outs, a CSUSB run scored on a balk, bringing CSUSB within 6-2.
Mort led off the Triton eighth with a double to right center and Abitz singled to center for the RBI. Cantele then homered to right field, driving in two, his 10th homerun of the year and UCSD led 9-2.
Daniel Simmons earned the win, pitching six innings and allowing one run, improving his record to 4-2. Nick Rodieck and Mike Kearney pitched the final three innings for UCSD.
Game Two CSUSB 4, UCSD 3
With two outs in the first, Matt Lawson homered to left center, giving the Tritons a 1-0 lead.
CSUSB loaded the bases with one out in the second. Billy Haynes hit an RBI single, followed by Justin Roberson's two-RBI double to give the Coyotes a 3-1 lead.
With two outs in the CSUSB fourth, Kyle Walton had an RBI single to push the Coyote lead to 4-1.
Lawson led off the Triton fourth with a double and David Morehead was hit by the pitch. Garrett Imeson then singled through the right side for an RBI and putting runners on the corners. Jonathan Erickson then hit a sac fly to center, scoring UCSD's second run of the inning, pulling UCSD within 4-3.
Tyler Cross pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save of the season.
UCSD is back in action after finals week on March 25 and 26. UCSD takes on Hawai'i Pacific in back-to-back doubleheaders. First pitch on each day is slated for 11:00 a.m. at Triton Baseball Field.
