LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 8th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team salvaged a series split with 2nd-ranked Sonoma State by defeating the Seawolves 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Triton Baseball Field. With the score tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, the Tritons rallied and loaded the bases with one out. All-American Matt Cantele worked the count and took ball four on a 3-1 pitch, forcing in the winning run. With the win, UCSD improves to 36-11, 20-8 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Sonoma State drops to 37-7, 21-5 CCAA.
The Tritons fell behind early by a 4-2 score, as a Triton error allowed two unearned runs to score in the third inning. “We didn't play very well, but we found a way to win a ballgame against a very good team, and that's all that matters,” said head coach Dan O'Brien.
While the Seawolves lead the Tritons in the CCAA standings, UCSD entered the series ranked No. 1 in the region, with SSU ranked at No. 2. With a four-game split, the NCAA West Region rankings should remain the same for another weekend.
The Tritons' 36 wins is just one shy of the school record, a mark that was set during both the 2005 and 2007 seasons. UCSD has eight conference games remaining, resuming next week when it travels to San Francisco State.
Cantele finished the day going 2-for-4 with two RBI, including the walk-off walk, in the Tritons' final at-bat.
After Trevor Decker pitched 4.1 solid innings, Tim Shibuya came on to blank SSU for 3.2 innings, allowing just two hits, no walks and striking out three. Keith Noe pitched the ninth, earning the win and improving to 4-1.
“A lot of times, our position players have picked up our pitchers. Today our pitchers picked up our position players and kept us in the ballgame until we figured it out at the plate,” said O'Brien.
SSU starting pitcher Max Smoot earned a no decision, pitching three innings and allowing three runs. The loss went to Tyler Flocker (0-1).
For the Tritons, Tony Bonelli also recorded two hits, including a key base hit in the bottom half of the ninth inning.
With one out in the first, Cantele hit his team-leading ninth homerun of the year to give the Tritons a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Mark Pestorich hit a two-run homerun to left, giving SSU a 2-1 lead.
In the UCSD second, Tim Mort walked and stole to bases with one out. Nick Burke followed with a walk and stole second to put runners on second and third. Michael Benton grounded out to the right side for an RBI and the score was tied at 2-2.
In the SSU third, Konrad Theime singled and the runner scored on a UCSD throwing error, giving the Seawoves a 3-2 lead. The Seawolves added another run on an RBI single by Ian Bridges to lead 4-2.
In the UCSD fourth, Mort and Burke led off with walks and Benton put down the sac bunt to put runners on second and third with one out. Bonelli singled up the middle for an RBI to make the score 4-3 SSU. With runners on the corners, and one out, Vance Albitz reached on a fielders choice for an RBI, tying the game at 4-4.
With one out in the UCSD ninth, Benton and Bonelli hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. With Ryland MacFayden pinch running for Benton, Vance Albitz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with still one out. Cantele worked the count to his favor at 3-1. The next pitch was low and inside, forcing home the winning run.
