LA JOLLA, Calif. - Eighth-ranked UCSD rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to take a 2-1 victory over visiting Cal Poly Pomona Friday night at Triton Ballpark.
UCSD's fourth straight win improved its overall record to 19-7 and its CCAA mark to 12-6, while Cal Poly Pomona dropped to 15-9 and 9-9. The Tritons also defeated the Broncos 5-2 in Thursday's four-game series opener.
Following five scoreless innings, Pomona got on the board first in the sixth. A one-out walk to shortstop Mike Santora was followed by two base hits, allowing Santora to score the game's first run.
In the ninth, Triton pinch hitter Nick Hom led off with an interesting at-bat. He was hit by a pitch twice in a row, but the home plate umpire did not award him first base, judging that the senior didn't make enough of an effort to get out of the way of the pitches. It worked out for the better as Hom drove a 3-2 pitch for a double to left center, ending up on second base instead of first.
Gregg Ringold pinch ran for Hom and then pinch hitter Scott Liske walked. First baseman Evan Kehoe sacrificed both runners up 90 feet and Blake Tagmyer, another pinch hitter, singled to center, scoring Ringold to tie the game and moving Liske up to third. Second baseman Grant Bauer was intentionally walked to load the bases. The next batter struck out for the second out of the inning. With outfielder Aaron Bauman at the plate, Cal Poly Pomona's Jake Reed unloaded a high pitch that should have been handled by the catcher, but it went off the top of his glove and rolled to the backstop, allowing Liske to score the game-winning run on the passed ball.
"He piped two fastballs and then piped a third one, so I figured it was about time I start swinging," said Hom. "It was just a great all-around performance in the ninth inning."
"It starts with Nick Hom, who basically just set the tone for the whole inning," said UCSD head coach Dan O'Brien. "He saw a lot of pitches and then the guy tried to challenge him with a fastball and he hits a double in the gap. Guys just stepped up and executed."
Both starting pitchers had solid outings. UCSD's Guido Knudson went eight innings, giving up the one run on six hits. He struck out six and walked one. Counterpart Erick Ruvalcaba pitched six scoreless innings, scattering three hits, striking out two and walking three.
Elias Tuma picked up the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. Reed, who came on in the ninth, fell to 3-1 after blowing the save and being saddled with the loss.
Both teams were retired in order four times.
"It was a great game, two well-pitched games," said O'Brien. "Guido pitched as good as he's pitched all year. But, their guy did the same thing. Games take on personalities and this just took on a pitching duel. Both teams played great defense, but I just can't say enough about how our guys found a way to win."
Eleven different players accounted for the 11 total hits in the game.
For the Broncos, right fielder Jordan Whitman had the team's RBI with the single in the sixth that plated Santora.
With his pinch hit single in the ninth, Tagmyer upped his team-best hit streak to 10 games.
The two teams conclude the series Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Scolinos Field in Pomona. If you can't make it to Pomona, the game will be covered by live stats. If you want to go to Pomona, you can find ticket information here and driving directions, parking details and other visitor info here.
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