LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 9th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over Cal Poly Pomona on Friday afternoon at Triton Baseball Field. Chris Franco's single in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, proved to be the game-winning hit. Both teams had their opportunities in the late innings, as CPP and UCSD both pitched out of jams. The freshmen starting pitchers for both teams battled it out, allowing a combined one earned run in 12.2 innings of work. Keith Noe earned the win for UCSD, improving to 3-1 on the season. With the win, UCSD wins for the 15th time in the last 16 games.
The Tritons are now 15-3, 5-0 CCAA, while the Broncos drop to 3-10, 0-4 CCAA.
For the Tritons, starting pitcher Guido Knudson went 7.0 innings, scattering five hits, walking none and giving up one unearned run.
CPP's freshman, Casey Youkubaitis held the Tritons in check, scattering three hits and allowing one run in 5.2 innings of work.
Franco finished with two RBI, while Evan Domanic and Matt Cantele each recorded two hits apiece.
Vance Albitz led off the UCSD half of the first with a double to left field, reaching base for the 18th consecutive game this season. Domanic followed with a single down the left field line for an RBI, but was thrown out at second attempting to stretch it into a double.
In the CPP seventh, A.J. Cavelleto reached on an error and Kyle Boggio followed with a single. The runners moved up to second and third after a wild pitch. Knudson got the next CPP batter to ground out to the pitcher and the runner on third was caught in a run down for the second out of the inning. With two outs and Boggio on third, UCSD appeared to be out of the inning but a UCSD error allowed the tying run to score, unearned at 1-1.
In the CPP eighth, Frank Klopp led off with a single and stole second. Jeff Ringholm was hit to put two on with no outs. After a fielders choice was recorded for the first out, the runners advanced to second and third. Noe came on in relief, striking out the next two batters to keep the game knotted at 1-1.
In the Triton eighth, Domanic led off with a single and Cantele followed with a single through the right side, setting up runners on the corners with no outs. Franco followed with a fielders choice RBI as Domanic beat the throw to the plate and the Tritons had the 2-1 edge. After Garrett Imeson walked to load the bases with no outs, the Broncos got out of the inning without further damage after two force outs at the plate and a fly ball to center.
In the ninth with one out, CPP's Josh Potter and John Daniels reached on singles and Jason Jordan reached on a fielders choice to load the bases with still one out. Frank Klopp singled to right for an RBI, tying the game at 2-2. Noe got the next two Broncos to fly out to shallow center, ending the inning with the score still tied.
In the UCSD ninth, Kyle Saul fell behind 0-2 but drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on Albitz's sac bunt. Saul advanced to third on Domanic's fly ball and Cantele was intentionally walked. On a 2-2 count, Franco hit a bloop single down the right field line for the game-winning hit.
The Tritons and Broncos return to the field for a doubleheader at Cal Poly Pomona. First pitch of the first game is slated for 11:00 a.m.
