LA JOLLA, Calif. - Tim Shibuya struck out a career-high 11 batters en route to improving to 5-0 on the season as No. 3 UCSD defeated San Francisco State, 7-1, Friday night in CCAA baseball action at Triton Ballpark.
Shibuya, coming off the first complete game of his season last week, put in eight full innings of work tonight, giving up the one run on six hits. He walked none for the first time in five starts. Shibuya's previous high for strikeouts was 10, coming almost two years ago on Apr. 9, 2009 at Grand Canyon.
UCSD (13-4, 6-3 CCAA) and Shibuya got a lift from the offense as six different Tritons banged out a total of 11 hits in the game. For SFSU (5-6, 0-5), three players combined for the Gators' five hits.
Leftfielder Aaron Bauman went 3-for-4 with a run, a RBI and a stolen base. Second baseman Blake Tagmyer and third baseman Evan Kehoe each had two hits and two RBI with Tagmyer scoring a pair of runs and Kehoe collecting the second double of his season.
Catcher Kevin Dultz and third baseman Andrew Suvunnachuen both had two hits for the Gators.
San Francisco State starter Steven Dea dropped to 1-3 with the loss. He went seven innings, giving up all seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits. He almost matched Shibuya in strikeouts, sitting down 10 Triton batters.
Shibuya started off the game by retiring the side in order with two called strikeouts and a foul out. His teammates rallied behind him early and put up a four spot in the bottom half of the first. Bauman led off with a single and stole second. With one out, right fielder Kyle Saul doubled to his stomping grounds, advancing Bauman to third. The next batter, catcher Kellen Lee, struck out but reached first safely. With the bases juiced, Tagmyer singled in two runs. The other two runs would score on an error by the Gator infield.
Shibuya got even more breathing room as UCSD plated another two runs in the fourth to go up 6-0. The Tritons tagged on their seventh run in the seventh inning.
San Francisco State got its lone run in the sixth inning. Suvunnachuen led off with a single and advanced to second on a ground ball out. Dultz doubled down the left field line to score Suvunnachuen.
Shibuya retired the first nine batters of the game and struck out the side in order in the second inning. The All-American had six Ks after three innings. He also put down the Gators in order in the fifth inning.
At 5-0, Shibuya is enjoying his best start to a season since he arrived at UCSD in 2008. Last season, Shibuya went 4-0 in his first five starts. In 2009, he was 2-2 and as a freshman, he made 29 appearances, all in relief.
Eric Abraham finished the game on the hill. He faced four batters, retiring three and hitting one.
Freshman shortstop Garrett Tuck, the reigning West Region and CCAA Player of the Week, had two singles to extend his team-best hit streak to seven games.
The Tritons and Gators take the field in a doubleheader Saturday at noon. The final game of the series is Sunday at 11 a.m. All games will have a live video stream and will also be covered by Live Stats.
Tickets for all home games are available at Triton Ballpark beginning one hour prior to first pitch. UCSD students are admitted free with a valid ID.
- ucsdtritons.com -
