LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball team had its starting lineup go 13-for-26 in a 16-4 season opening win against San Diego Christian College on Monday afternoon at Triton Ballpark. The Tritons had seven doubles and Kellen Lee had a game-high four RBI. The Tritons batted around twice in the game, scoring six runs in both the first and fourth innings.
"This was a great way to set the tone for the season," said head coach Dan O'Brien. "Getting 25 guys in the game today, it was a total team effort." Tim Shibuya earned the win as the Tritons used seven pitchers in the game.
UCSD picked up right where it left off last season, getting out of a first-inning jam with a double play turned by Vance Albitz. In the bottom half of the first, Albitz doubled and the first six Tritons reached base. UCSD scored six times in the first as Lee had two RBI while Brandon Gregorich, Aaron Bauman, Kyle Saul and Danny Susdorf had RBI.
UCSD had single runs in the second and third, before pushing across six more runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth.
Six Tritons had multi-hit games as Albitz went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, Evan Kehoe went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, Gregorich went 2-for-3 with two RBI, Saul went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI, Chris Fung went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Lee went 2-for-4 with four RBI.
On the mound, Shibuya went 3.0 innings, allowing four hits, one run and struck out three. Daniel Simmons went 2.2 innings and settled down after giving up a three-run homerun. Elias Tuma got the Tritons out of a jam in the sixth, retiring the only batter he faced. Jeff Rauh, Eric Abraham, Austin Hill and Richard Kilbury pitched the final three innings of scoreless ball.
UCSD is back in action on Tuesday when it faces Point Loma Nazarene. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. at Triton Ballpark.