LA JOLLA, Calif. - Starter Tim Shibuya broke another career record and closer Elias Tuma earned his third straight save Friday night at Triton Ballpark as 17th-ranked UC San Diego rang up a 4-2 victory over Cal State Stanislaus in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action.
UCSD improved to 25-12 overall and 18-11 in the CCAA, while CSUS dropped to 18-14 overall and 12-13 in the league. It was the fourth consecutive win for the Tritons.
Shibuya improved to 7-3 as he went 7.2 innings, surrendering the two runs on eight hits. The senior from Jackson, Wyo., struck out four Warriors to become UCSD's all-time leader in Ks. With 71 strikeouts this season, Shibuya has 286 for his career, topping Rick Nowak's total of 283 between 1986 and 1988. Shibuya took over UCSD's career wins and career innings pitched records earlier this season.
Up 3-2 in the eighth, Tuma came on for Shibuya with two outs and two Warriors on base. He got catcher Joe Medeiros looking to end the threat. In the ninth, Tuma really went to work. He struck out the leadoff batter, first baseman Thomas Shull, swinging. Left fielder Fred Atkins followed with a base hit to center, Stanislaus' ninth and final hit of the game. Tuma ended the game in style, striking out Hungerford and Johnson, both looking. It was Tuma's fifth save of the season.
Cal State Stanislaus got a solid performance from its starter, Andrew Stueve (3-2), who went eight innings and gave up six hits while striking out five and walking two. Three of UCSD's four runs were earned.
After going down in order in the first and second innings, UC San Diego struck for two runs in the third. Catcher Kellen Lee led off with a single back up the middle. Following a groundout that pushed Lee to second, shortstop Garrett Tuck singled to right field. The ball got by the right fielder, allowing Lee to score and Tuck to go all the way around to third on the error. Tuck crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly when right fielder Kyle Saul fouled out to deep right.
The Tritons scored the eventual game-winning run in the fifth. Second baseman Matt Hubbard singled and moved to third on a base hit by Tuck. During the next at-bat, Tuck broke for second and was caught in a rundown. Hubbard teased CSUS shortstop Ross Gonsalves by moving down the third base line several times during the rundown. When Gonsalves finally threw the ball to first to get Tuck, Hubbard took off and scored, avoiding the tag at the plate with a perfect slide to give UCSD a 3-0 lead.
Shibuya retired the Warriors in order in the first, third and fourth innings before they got on the board in the sixth. Gonsalves led off with a double and scored when Medeiros hit a two out, line drive home run to center. It was the first long ball surrendered by Shibuya this season.
UCSD tacked on an insurance run in the eighth. Center fielder Danny Susdorf singled and stole second with one out. First baseman Blake Tagmyer drove him in with a single to center.
Tuck finished 2-for-3 while Atkins had three hits for Stanislaus.
The two teams play a doubleheader Saturday at Triton Ballpark with the first game slated for a noon start.
- ucsdtritons.com -
