LOS ANGELES, Calif. ? The 24th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team defeated 9th-ranked Chico State 8-6 on Friday night at Reeder Field, advancing to the final day of the CCAA Tournament. The Tritons, who had defeated Cal State L.A. 7-2 earlier in the day, got timely hitting throughout the day. After the Wildcats took a 5-3 lead in the fifth, UCSD came right back to score three times in the sixth, with a two-out rally. Vance Albitz provided a big two-out, two-RBI double in that inning, giving the Tritons the lead. With two wins, UCSD improves to 37-22, with the 37 wins tying the school record. After winning two elimination games, UCSD will need to defeat No. 2 Sonoma State twice on Saturday to capture the conference crown. UCSD and SSU take the field on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
In the top of the third, Jonathan Erickson singled and advanced to second on a balk. Tim Mort came through in getting the runner to third base on a ground out. Vance Albitz grounded out to shortstop, allowing Erickson to score, giving UCSD a 1-0 lead in the third.
In the bottom of the third, Robby Scott singled with one out and Edgar Sedano followed with a two-run homerun, giving CSUC a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Matt Cantele led off with his 23rd homerun of the season, a shot to right center field tying the game at 2-2. David Morehead followed with a double to left field. With one out, Morehead advanced to third on a wild pitch. John Roth then lined a single down the right field line with the infield drawn in. The hit scored Morehead and the Tritons retook the lead 3-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, the first two CSUC batters walked. The next CSUC batter got ahead 3-0 on the count but Kirby St. John battled back to record the flyball out. Daniel Code singled just past the reach of Albitz to load the bases with one out. The Wildcats next batter then walked on four pitches to tie the game at 3-3. Fairburn would double down the left field line, driving in two and taking a 5-3 lead. The Tritons got out of the inning without further damage on a fielders choice play at the plate and a fly ball to center.
In the top of the sixth, Chris Franco led off with a double to left. With two gone and Franco still at second, Erickson came through with the two-out RBI single through the left side, cutting the score down to 5-4 CSUC. Tim Mort singled, putting runners on the corners. Albitz continued the rally, this time hitting a double down the line, driving in Erickson and Mort, and giving the Tritons a 6-5 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, a CSUC hits batsman and a walk put two on with one out. Nick Rodieck entered and got the next two outs on a fly ball to center and a come backer to the mound and UCSD remained ahead 6-5 through six.
CSUC's Aaron Demuth led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homerun to left, tying the game at 6-6.
Erickson led off the top of the eighth with a single up the middle, his third hit of the game. Mort then hit a bunt single to put the first two runners on base. Albitz layed down the sac bunt as the runners moved up to second and third. Imeson was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the force at any base. CSUC brought in the lefty Maes to face Cantele. Cantele was then hit by the pitch, forcing in the go-ahead run and it was 7-6 UCSD. The Wildcats brought in their ace, Martinez to try and get out of the jam. Martinez did the job as he recorded the final two outs of the inning.
With one out in the ninth, Silverman tripled to right as the Chico State right fielder misplayed the ball and it got past him to the wall. Erickson put down the perfect bunt on a squeeze play, scoring an insurance run for UCSD as the Tritons went ahead 8-6.
In the CSUC ninth with one out, Daniel Code was hit. The next two outs were recorded on groundouts to end the game.
