LA JOLLA, Calif. - UC San Diego continued racking up runs with its potent offense Saturday as the 16th-ranked Tritons totaled 18 hits en route to defeating Academy of Art, 12-2, in non-conference baseball action at Triton Ballpark.
In its final non-league game of the regular season, UCSD (30-12) found itself down, 1-0, after a half inning of play. However, the Tritons tied it in the bottom half of the first and went on to plate five runs in the second to essentially seal the victory, its ninth straight.
UC San Diego out-scored Academy of Art 27-3 in the series. Over its last three games, the Tritons have scored 45 runs on 52 hits. Of the 52, 20 have gone for extra bases.
Not to be overshadowed by the explosive offensive output, the Triton pitching staff turned in another strong performance. Starter Guido Knudson (6-3) gave up an unearned run and no hits while striking out three in three innings of work. Six other Tritons combined to finish the game on a staff day and surrendered just one run on four hits over six innings. Justin Burns and Eric Abraham each struck out two Urban Knights.
Triton pitchers have let in just eight total runs (six earned) over the last 52 innings, good for a 1.04 ERA. They've totaled 45 strikeouts and eight walks over the span.
UCSD banged out nine extra base hits, including six doubles, a triple and two home runs. It was the third straight game that the Tritons have launched two home runs in. Seven of nine Tritons in the starting lineup had hits and a total of 10 players accounted for the team's total.
In his first collegiate start, right fielder Scott Liske was 2-for-3 with a run and three RBI. A redshirt freshman, Liske cracked his first career home run, a two-run job to right in the second inning that put UCSD up 5-1.
Senior infielder Grant Bauer had a day for the Tritons, finishing 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI. He also figured in the second inning scoring as his single plated the first two runs of the frame.
Designated hitter Nick La Face continued his torrid pace with three hits, two of them doubles, and a RBI. He went 6-for-11 (.545) with four runs and three RBI over the two games against the Urban Knights. La Face has multiple hits in his last four games and leads the Tritons with his .385 batting average.
Third baseman Evan Kehoe, catcher Michael Benton and pinch hitter/first baseman Jack Heidelman all had two hits apiece. Benton scored three runs, knocked in two and walked twice. The senior hit his first home run of the season in the sixth, giving UCSD two runs and a 9-1 lead. Heidelman, a true freshman who entered the game with no hits in just six career at-bats, had an RBI triple in the seventh and followed that with a double in the eighth.
Four Knights each had a hit with catcher James Singzon and second baseman Zach Babitt picking up RBIs. Singzon had a double in the seventh inning to knock in ART U's second run. Starter Zach Mexicano fell to 3-8 on the year, giving up seven runs (three earned) on eight hits in 3.2 innings and walking four Triton batters.
Academy of Art (6-35) had base runners in six of nine innings.
Returning to California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action next week, UCSD plays four critical games at league-leading Chico State Apr. 29 through May 1. The Tritons currently sit in second place in the CCAA with a 21-11 record. Chico is first at 20-8, while Sonoma State is third with a 19-12 mark.
- ucsdtritons.com -
