CARSON, Calif.. ? The 14th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team edged Cal State Dominguez Hills by a 7-6 score on Friday afternoon at Toro Field. Tim Shibuya (3-0) earned the win allowing one run in 4.2 innings of relief. Keith Noe pitched a perfect ninth-inning to earn his fourth save of the season. The game included plenty of offense in the early innings as the teams combined for 12 runs in the first four innings. Chris Franco hit a three-run homerun in the first-inning, while Nick Burke also homered for the Tritons. James Ferguson made his first start and had a key, two-RBI double in the fourth-inning. UCSD improves to 21-5, 11-2 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while CSUDH drops to 9-18, 6-8 CCAA.
Vance Albitz went 3-for-4 in the game, while Franco and Ferguson recorded two hits apiece. Starting pitcher Guido Knudson pitched the first 3.1 innings, allowing five runs.
Albitz led off the game with a double down the left field line and Kyle Saul was hit by a pitch. With runners on the corners with one out, Franco blasted a three-run homerun to leftfield, giving the Tritons a three spot in the first inning.
CSUDH responded with two runs in the bottom half as Brian Sturgis and Eric Blackwell recorded RBI.
In the UCSD second, Burke led off with a homerun to centerfield for the 4-2 lead.
CSUDH's Jon Alia homered in the third inning to bring the Toros within 4-3.
In the UCSD fourth, Imeson led off with a single, followed by a double by Kehoe and a walk to Burke. With the bases full of Tritons and one out, James Ferguson doubled down the leftfield line, driving in two and the Tritons were up 6-3. Albitz followed with a sac fly to center for an RBI and the Tritons led 7-3.
CSUDH chipped away and scored two in the fourth and one in the seventh to pull within 7-6. CSUDH had runners on second and third with one out, but could not get the game tying or go ahead runs as Shibuya got out of the inning with the Tritons still out on top.
Noe came on in the ninth inning and retired the Toros in order, preserving the UCSD victory.
Games three and four will be played at Triton Baseball Field. UCSD and CSUDH square off in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, March 15 at 11:00 a.m.
