LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball team used a ninth-inning rally and took both ends of a doubleheader against No. 18 Western Oregon on Sunday afternoon at Triton Ballpark. In the first game, UCSD trailed 4-3 in the ninth before loading the bases with no outs. After
Danny Susdorf's sac fly for an RBI,
Robert Sedin was hit by a pitch for the walk off hit batsman RBI, 5-4 Tritons. In the second game,
Michael Benton provided the early offense with a two-run homerun and
Daniel Simmons pitched a complete-game in the 6-1 win.
"Our guys did a great job against a very solid ballclub today," said head coach Dan O'Brien. "We competed all day, which we've been struggling to do early on. Mix in two quality starts and it makes for a solid day at the yard."
With the wins, UCSD improves to 4-1, while Western Oregon drops to 0-3.
In the first game, Guido Knudson earned the win, pitching two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Matt Rossman pitched well and left with the lead going seven innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out seven.
Cam Nobles of Western Oregon took the loss.
Kyle Saul had three RBI coming on his go-ahead three-run homerun in the fifth. Evan Kehoe, Brandon Gregorich, Benton and Matt Hubbard also had multiple hits.
In the first game after the Wolves drew first blood in the first, the score would remain 1-0 WOU until the fifth inning.
In the UCSD fifth with one out, Evan Kehoe and Brandon Gregorich hit back-to-back singles. With two outs, Saul hit a go-ahead three-run homerun to left and UCSD led 3-1 through five.
After WOU scored an unearned run in the seventh to pull within 3-2, UCSD's Gregorich led off with a double and Aaron Bauman walked. After a sac bunt put runners on second and third, the Tritons could not get any runs across as the game remained 3-2 UCSD through seven innings.
The Wolves put runners on the corners with no outs before Guido Knudson entered and struck out the next WOU batter. An errant pick off attempt allowed the tying run to score and the go ahead run to third. With two outs, a wild pitch allowed WOU to take the lead at 4-3 through eight.
UCSD loaded the bases for the third different inning in the eighth, but could not score and left the runners stranded.
In the UCSD ninth, Saul led off being hit by a pitch. Michael Benton followed with a single to put two on with no outs. Grant Bauer then reached on a sac bunt error on the pitcher to load the bases with no outs. Danny Susdorf tied the game with a sac fly to center at 4-4. With one out and runners on the corners, Vance Albitz was intentionally walked to set up the force out at any base. Robert Sedin was then hit by a pitch for the game-winning RBI at 5-4.
Simmons went the complete game in earning the win going 7.0 innings, allowing no earned runs, five hits, walking one and striking out eight.
Albitz had two hits, including a triple, giving him the cycle in the series. Susdorf also had a multi-hit game for UCSD.
In the second game with the scoreless, Benton hit a two-run homerun to right field to give UCSD a 2-0 lead.
With UCSD leading 3-0 in the third, WOU scored an unearned run to pull within 3-1.
The Tritons got the run right back on an RBI single by Saul, giving UCSD a 4-1 lead through three.
In the UCSD fourth, Albitz tripled to right center for an RBI and would score on Sedin's sac fly for the 6-1 lead through four innings.
Simmons cruised to the win, scattering five total hits and striking out eight for the win.
UCSD and Western Oregon return to the field on Monday to complete the four-game series. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. at Triton Ballpark.
