LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 12th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team scored four runs in the first-inning and never let up, defeating 15th-ranked Chico State 17-9 on Friday afternoon at Triton Baseball Field. Chico State rallied on two occasions, including bringing the potential tying run to the plate in the seventh inning. The Tritons tacked on five runs in the eighth to secure the win. Seven Tritons recorded at least two hits in UCSD's 20-hit attack. Matt Cantele drove in four RBI, including his seventh homerun in the first inning. UCSD improves to 32-8, 16-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while CSUC drops to 27-10, 16-8 CCAA.
Kirby St. John earned the win, improving to 6-0. St. John went six innings, allowing five runs. Nick Rodieck pitched two-thirds of an inning, while Tim Shibuya went the final 2.1 frames, allowing one run.
Four Tritons recorded three hit games which included Evan Kehoe with three singles and three RBI, Chris Franco went 3-for-4 with two RBI, Garrett Imeson went 3-for-5 with two RBI and Tim Mort went 3-for-4 with four RBI. Cantele, Vance Albitz and Josh Tanner (two doubles) recorded two hits apiece.
The 17 runs for the Tritons is a new season-high.
Chico State was led by Shane Farmer with three hits and three RBI, while Bret Ringer went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a homerun. The loss went to starting pitcher Pete Mickartz (8-3).
Albitz led off the Triton first with a single to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Cantele followed with a homerun over the rightfield fence for the 2-0 lead. After Kehoe flew out to the warning track to right, Franco and Imeson followed with back-to-back singles. Mort followed with a double to center for two RBI and the Tritons had a 4-0 lead through one inning.
CSUC put the first two runners on in the third and advanced to second and third with one out on Kyle Eveland's sac bunt. Joey Burke recorded an RBI on a groundout and the score was 4-1. With two outs, Josh Meagher singled for an RBI and Chico State was within 4-2.
In the Chico State fourth, the first two runners reached on singles, and a run would score on a Triton error, 4-3 UCSD. St. John got the next batter to ground into a double play and a ground out followed to end the inning with the Tritons leading by a run.
With one out in the UCSD fourth, Tanner doubled to left. With two outs, Cantele was intentionally walked and Kehoe made the Wildcats pay with an RBI single to left. Franco followed with a double to straight away center, driving in both Cantele and Kehoe, and the Tritons went ahead 7-3.
After two were out in the Chico State sixth, two Wildcats reached and Shane Farmer found the gap with a two-RBI double and the Wildcats were within 7-5.
Tanner led off the UCSD sixth with a double to right center. With one out, Cantele singled through the right side for an RBI and the Tritons led 8-5. The Tritons would go on to load the bases with still one out, as Imeson singled through the right side for two RBI and UCSD led 10-5. Mort followed with a double to right field, driving in two and the Tritons led 12-5. In the inning, UCSD scored five times on six hits, sending 10 batters to the plate.
Jimmy Dodos recorded an RBI double in the seventh for the Wildcats. With two outs, Bret Ringer hit a two-run homerun to left and CSUC was within 12-8. Farmer came through with an RBI double making the score 12-9 UCSD.
With two outs in the eighth, the Wildcats put two on and Ringer came to the plate, having homered in his previous at-bat. Shibuya got a ground out to short with Franco making the tag on the runner to end the frame with the Tritons ahead 12-9.
Franco led off the UCSD eighth with a double to center and Imeson singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. After Mort walked to load the bases, Nick Burke followed with a single through the right side for two RBI and the Tritons led 14-9. With two outs and the bases loaded, Cantele walked for an RBI, UCSD's 15th-run. Kehoe singled, driving in two more runs and UCSD led 17-9.
UC San Diego and Chico State will return to the field for a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch of the first game is set for 12:00 p.m. at Triton Baseball Field.
