LA JOLLA, Calif.  ? The 8th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team earned its third shutout of the year in defeating Cal State Monterey Bay 4-0 on Friday afternoon at Triton Baseball Field.  With the victory, UCSD improves to 40-12, 24-9 California Collegiate Athletic Association while the Otters drop to 15-34, 7-26 CCAA.  Due to winning percentage, the Tritons have now clinched a CCAA Tournament berth.  The Tritons, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA West Region, also moved within percentage points of first-place Sonoma State (23-8 CCAA) who lost on Friday.  Kirby St. John (8-0) earned the win going seven innings, while Tim Shibuya and Keith Noe completed the shutout.

St. John finished the day scattering four hits while striking out four.  Vance Albitz and Michael Benton provided most of the UCSD offense.  Benton went 2-for-3 with a two-out RBI, while Albitz hit an opposite field homerun, his third of the year.  Matt Cantele also had an RBI for the Tritons.

Franco led off the UCSD second with a double to center.  With two outs, Benton singled past the second baseman for the 1-0 lead.

CSUMB put two on with one out in the fifth, but St. John got a double play ball to end the inning.

With one out in the UCSD fifth, Nick Burke walked and Abitz singled through the right side to put runners on the corners.  Cantele followed with a single through the right side for an RBI and UCSD led 2-0. 

With one on and two outs in the seventh, Albitz homered to right field, extending the UCSD lead to 4-0.

The Tritons will be making their fifth consecutive appearance in the CCAA Baseball Tournament this year, held next week.

UCSD and Cal State Monterey Bay will take the field for a doubleheader on Saturday at Triton Baseball Field.  First pitch of the first game is set for 12:00 p.m.