LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 17th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team extended its winning streak to a season-best six games on Saturday, sweeping both ends of a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader with visiting Cal State Stanislaus at Triton Ballpark.
Pinch runner Scott Liske scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to send UCSD to a 2-1 victory in game one. Designated hitter Nick La Face drove in the winning run in the last of the sixth as the Tritons won the nightcap by the same margin.
UCSD improved to 27-12 overall with the pair of wins, while upping its CCAA record to 20-11. Cal State Stanislaus drops to 18-16 overall and 13-14 in the CCAA.
With the score tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the ninth, La Face picked up a one-out single and was lifted for Liske to run. Left fielder Aaron Bauman hit a deep fly ball which led to an error by the Stanislaus center fielder. Liske ended up at third and Bauman at second. Third baseman Evan Kehoe was intentionally walked by CSUS starter Vinny Pacchetti in hopes of setting up a force play at any base. With the bases plugged and pinch hitter Nick Hom at the plate, Pacchetti unleashed a low pitch that found the dirt just in front of catcher Joe Medeiros and bounced past him and his glove. Liske scooted home for the winning run.
UCSD starter Guido Knudson (5-3) threw a gem, striking out 10 batters, one short of his career-high, in the complete game effort. He gave up just one unearned run on eight hits and walked none.
Pacchetti (3-2) gave up the two runs (one earned) on just four Triton hits.
Catcher Kellen Lee had UCSD's lone RBI when he singled to score Bauman in the second inning, putting the Tritons up 1-0. The Warriors came right back in the top of the third and tied it. With two outs, shortstop Ross Gonsalves reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. He was plated when right fielder Zach Cadet singled to center.
The scoring was very similar in game two as UCSD took a 1-0 lead before UCI tied it up. The Tritons again waited until late in the game to score the winning run. The game also featured solid pitching efforts.
After three and a half scoreless innings, La Face got UCSD on the board in the bottom of the fourth. He doubled down the left field line and scored on a Kehoe base hit. The Warriors scored in the top of the sixth to tie the game. Second baseman Colton Beatty drove in center fielder David Contreras with a single to center.
That set up another clutch situation for La Face in the bottom of the sixth and he didn't disappoint. With one out, first baseman Blake Tagmyer doubled down the left field line. Ringold came in to run for Tagmyer and run he did when La Face dropped a double into right center.
Triton starter Taylor Austin threw 5.1 innings and gave up one run on four hits while striking out five but didn't figure in the decision. Reliever Tony York tossed one scoreless frame to improve to 2-0, while Elias Tuma earned his fourth save in the last five games.
The Stanislaus staff turned in another strong start as left-hander Chris Short gave up two runs and six hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out three Triton batters and walked none, but took the loss and dropped to 3-3 on the season.
Center fielder Danny Susdorf had two hits for UCSD, while six different Warriors accounted for their hit total.
The two squads wrap up the series Sunday with a single game starting at 11 a.m. at Triton Ballpark. UCSD will be looking for its first sweep of a CCAA series.
- ucsdtritons.com -
