LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball improved to 13-1 on the road with a pair of wins by scores of 13-6 and 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at Cal State L.A. In the first game, the Tritons trailed 3-1 in the fifth inning before scoring six times in the fifth as
Evan Kehoe hit a grand slam, one of three UCSD homeruns in the game. In the second game, the Tritons trailed 4-1 in the sixth inning, with one six outs remaining in the game. UCSD would score four times in the sixth as
Kellen Lee,
Brandon Gregorich and
Kyle Saul had key RBI's in the inning.
Daniel Simmons shut down the Golden Eagles for the final 2.1 innings to earn the win. With the wins, UCSD improves to 37-6, 27-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while CSULA drops to 17-24, 15-17 CCAA.
In the first game, Aaron Bauman hit a first inning homerun, his team-leading seventh of the year. CSULA would score three runs in the third to take the 3-1 lead and hold it into the fifth frame. UCSD would score six runs in the fifth as Kehoe blasted a grand slam to give UCSD a 5-3 edge.
UCSD continued to hit in the fifth, as Grant Bauer drove in two more RBI on a double to give UCSD the 7-3 lead. UCSD added three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to take the commanding 12-3 lead before claiming the 13-6 win.
Kyle Saul also homered as Bauman and Gregorich had extra base hits.
The teams would combine for 35 hits in the game, 17 by the Tritons. Vance Albitz, Bauman, Gregorich, Saul and Bauer had multi-hit games.
On the mound, Kirby St. John allowed 14 hits in 5.2 innings, but allowed just three runs to improve to 8-1 on the year. He is now tied with teammate Tim Shibuya for the team lead in victories.
Richard Kilbury, Elias Tuma and Sean Greer also saw action out of the UCSD bullpen.
In the second game, CSULA led 4-1 heading into the top of the sixth in the seven-inning game. Blake Tagmyer drew a patient walk to lead off the sixth and Lee homered to right center to pull UCSD within 4-3.
The Tritons continued their rally as Danny Susdorf doubled and advanced to third on Bauer's sac bunt. The next Triton hitter popped out, meaning UCSD would need a base hit to tie the game. Bauman was hit by a pitch and Gregorich followed with the two-our RBI to tie the game at 4-4. UCSD was not through as Saul delivered the go-ahead RBI with a single up the middle which proved to be the game winner.
Guido Knudson started for the Tritons, going 4.2 innings, allowing four runs and striking out six. Simmons pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs with two strikeouts to improve to 4-0 on the year.
UCSD is back in action next week with a four-game home-and-home series against Cal State Dominguez Hills. On the line will be first-place in the CCAA as UCSD will hold either a three or four game lead on the Toros entering the week (depending on Sunday's outcome of CSUDH at Chico State). The first two games of the UCSD and CSUDH showdown will take place at Triton Ballpark at 3:00 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday afternoon.
