COMPTON, Calif. - The top-ranked UC San Diego baseball team defeated Hawaii Pacific 9-4 on Saturday to capture its second consecutive NCAA West Regional title and a trip to Cary, North Carolina for next week's NCAA D-II National Championships. UCSD sent 10 hitters to the plate in the fifth-inning and scored seven times to take a commanding 7-1 lead over the Sea Warriors at the MLB Urban Youth Academy.
"This is a very special ballclub," said head coach Dan O'Brien. "In fact, earning back-to-back College World Series appearances with everyone gunning for them all year speaks to just how special they are. I'm very proud of them."
Guido Knudson hurled a 114-pitch complete-game and finished off HPU with consecutive strikeouts, as the Tritons celebrated a return to the College World Series around Knudson on the pitchers' mound.
With the win, UCSD improves to 51-7 on the year. Over the last two seasons, the Tritons are now 92-22.
The Tritons trailed early by a 1-0 score until breaking through with seven runs in the fifth inning. UCSD had two singles, a double, two triples and a home run in the frame to take the 7-1 lead.
Knudson cruised through the game, going nine complete innings, allowing four runs, two walks and five strikeouts. He improves to 9-3 on the year.
Kyle Saul, Brandon Gregorich, Evan Kehoe and Kellen Lee had two RBI apiece, while Danny Susdorf also drove in an RBI.
UCSD had 12 hits, including eight for extra bases. The Tritons had four singles, four doubles, three triples and a home run.
HPU got on the board first with a two-out RBI single up the middle by Bas Nooij to lead 1-0.
With two outs in the UCSD fifth, Saul walked to put runners on the corners. Saul stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Aaron Bauman followed with a two-RBI single up the middle, giving UCSD the lead for the first time of the day at 2-1.
UCSD was not done, as Kehoe hit a stand-up triple into the right field corner, driving in two more runs and giving UCSD a 4-1 lead. Susdorf followed with a triple to left field for an RBI and the Tritons grabbed a 5-1 edge. Lee followed with a two-run homer to left center and the Tritons had a 7-1 advantage.
HPU had a pair of sacrifice flies to drive in two runs in the sixth, making the score 7-3 UCSD.
With two outs in the eighth frame, the Tritons got the two runs back on an RBI double by Gregorich -- his 99th hit of the year -- and the Tritons went ahead 9-3.
HPU's Blake Amaral had an RBI double to right center to make the score 9-4 UCSD.
The loss went to Chad Wagner of HPU who drops to 3-2 on the year.
UCSD is back in action at next week's eight-team NCAA National Championship finals. The schedule will be set once the final eight teams are determined on Monday. The championship finals will be held in Cary, N.C.
2010 NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team
C: Bas Nooij, HPU
1B: Brandon Gregorich, UCSD
2B: Carlos Leyva, CSUDH
3B: Adrian Bringas, CSUC
SS: Vance Albitz, UCSD
OF: Andrew Baslow, CSUDH
OF: Kyle Saul, UCSD
OF: Blake Amaral, HPU
DH: Danny Susdorf, UCSD
P: Tim Shibuya, UCSD
P: Toby Inoye, HPU
Most Valuable Player: Kyle Saul
