LA JOLLA, Calif. ?The 23rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball team used a three-run sixth on the strength of back-to-back homeruns by Evan Kehoe and Matt Cantele to pull ahead and win the series finale against No. 1 Cal State Stanislaus by a 6-5 score on Sunday afternoon. The two homeruns were part of three homeruns on the day for the Tritons, as Vance Albitz also went yard. “Every time they scored, we answered,” said head coach Dan O'Brien. “This game shows a lot about the make up of our team.” With the win, UCSD improves to 15-7, 12-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Warriors drop to 16-7, 8-6 CCAA.
Guido Knudson earned the win for the Tritons, improving to 3-0 on the season. Knudson pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing four hits and one run. Kirby St. John made the start, going 2.2 innings, allowing two runs while Sean Greer also went 2.2 innings and allowed two runs.
Offensively, Albitz, Kehoe and Cantele homered. Cantele's was his 50th of his career as the UCSD slugger nears the all-time school record of 53 homeruns. In the four game series, Cantele had a streak of eight consecutive at-bats reaching base (four singles and four walks). Cantele ended up going 6-for-13 with five RBI, four walks and a .611 on-base percentage.
In the series, Brandon Gregorich went 7-for-12 and Albitz went 9-for-17 with two doubles and a homerun.
Over the four game stretch against the Warriors, the Tritons had a team ERA of 2.50 and sported a .994 fielding percentage.
With the teams tied at 2-2 entering the sixth, Cal State Stanislaus pushed two runs across in the top half of the sixth on a a Zach Cadet triple to right field, driving in two RBI.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Kehoe and Cantele hit back-to-back homeruns to right field, taking advantage of the strong breeze out to right. After a new Warriors pitcher entered the game, Gregorich singled and Garrett Imeson walked, putting two on with still no outs. After two fielders choices, the Tritons had runners on the corners with two outs. With Josh Tanner batting, UCSD perfected the double-steal with Imeson coming home and Tim Mort drawing the throw to second base. The run was UCSD's go-ahead as the Tritons went ahead 5-4.
UCSD got a much needed insurance run in the eighth inning as Albitz singled and advanced to second on Robert Sedin's sac bunt. Kehoe doubled for an RBI and UCSD led 6-4.
With two outs in the CSUS ninth, Kyle Loretelli homered to pull the Warriors within one. The next CSUS batter doubled and the Tritons intentionally walked Jake Oketani. Knudson got the final out on a fly ball to center.
UCSD takes a two week break for finals week and spring break and returns to the field on Friday, March 27, the first of a four game set against San Francisco State.
