LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball team edged No. 23 Chico State 8-7 on Sunday afternoon at Triton Ballpark. After dropping the first two games of the series, the Tritons were able to gain a split in the series, winning the final two games by one run each. The Tritons spotted the Wildcats four runs in the second inning but used a three run third and a three run fifth to gain the lead. Tied in the eighth, Michael Benton's sac fly RBI proved to be the game winner.

"This game was a flat out dogfight," said head coach Dan O'Brien. "I'm proud of our guys for bouncing back from adversity, to get two gutsy wins. It says a lot about the character of this ballclub," continued O'Brien.

With the win, UCSD improves to 11-3, 2-2 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Chico State drops to 6-2, 6-2 CCAA.

After giving up four runs, starter Kirby St. John setted down and pitched into the seventh inning and departed with the lead. After Eric Abraham put two on, Elias Tuma enticed a bases-loaded one-out 1-2-3 inning ending double play to keep the scored tied and set up Benton's sac fly RBI. Tuma earned the win to improve to 1-0.

The loss went to Casey Edelbrock who drops to 1-1.

Offensively, the Tritons scored eight runs on 10 hits. Vance Albitz and Conor Coleman had mulit-hit games. Albitz' two hits gives him 257 career hits, tying Bob Natal for No. 2 on UCSD's career hits chart. Albitz has the top spot in his sights, needing to reach 306 hits set by former Triton Garrett Imeson from 2006-09.

Trailing 4-3 in the fifth inning, a leadoff walk to Albitz started UCSD's three-run inning. Aaron Bauman had an RBI single, Evan Kehoe had a sac fly RBI and Benton had an RBI single to put UCSD up 6-4.

Chico State scored a run in the seventh and pulled even in the eight with two runs.

In UCSD's half of the eighth, Kyle Saul drew a leadoff walk and Chris Fung got the job done, grounding out to first base, advancing the runner. After Brandon Gregorich drew the intentional walk, Saul and Gregorich had a key double steal to put runners on second and third. After Kehoe was hit by a pitch, Benton hit a bases-loaded sac fly to center field, giving UCSD the winning run.

Chico State put a runner on with one out, but a line out to third base on a great play by Kehoe and a ground out to the pitcher ended the frame.

UCSD's 18 game home stand comes to an end next week. In CCAA action, the Tritons host Cal State Monterey Bay for four games on February 26-28 at Triton Ballpark.