ROHNERT PARK, Calif. - Both of No. 21 UC San Diego's starting pitchers earned wins Saturday as the Tritons took both games of a CCAA doubleheader at No. 16 Sonoma State. UCSD came from behind to win game one, 5-3, and shut down a seventh-inning rally to hold on for a 9-7 victory in the nightcap.
The first game saw Guido Knudson improve to 4-3 on the season as he went 6.1 innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on six hits. He struck out six while walking two. Justin Burns tossed 2.2 scoreless innings to pick up his second save of the year.
The Tritons found themselves down, 3-0, after three innings, but plated three in the fourth to tie it up and two more in the fifth to account for the 5-3 final.
Four players had two hits apiece as UCSD totaled 10 in the game. Designated hitter Nick La Face went 2-for-4 with a run, two RBI and a double. Right fielder Kyle Saul had two hits and two runs.
Kenny Arnerich (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season as he gave up five runs (three earned) on nine hits over 4.2 innings of work.
SSU's Kyle Cerrudo and DH Kevin Cramer had two hits each, acccounting for four of the Seawolves' six hits.
In game two, the Tritons led 9-0 after three and a half innings as they tallied four runs in the first and fourth innings. Sonoma State began its comeback with one run in the fourth and three more in the fifth. In the bottom half of the seventh and final inning, the Seawolves plated three runs but UCSD reliever Elias Tuma put a lid on it to earn his third save.
Taylor Austin improved to 2-0 for the Tritons, giving up four runs (two earned) on four hits over 4.2 innings.
Kendall Davis lasted just a third of an inning for the Seawolves. He surrendered four earned runs on two hits and dropped to 1-3 with the loss.
Catcher Michael Benton went 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in three runs for the Tritons.
Sonoma State made four errors in the field in the second game.
UCSD first baseman Blake Tagmyer had a hit in the first game to extend his team-best hit streak to 11 games. However, he went 0-for-2 from the plate in the second game to kill the streak.
The two squads meet for the fourth and final game in the series on Sunday at 11 a.m.
- ucsdtritons.com -
