LA JOLLA, Calif. - The sixth-ranked UC San Diego baseball team saw its bid for a third straight trip to the College World Series come to an end on Saturday, as the top-seeded Tritons lost a hard-fought 6-5 decision to No. 3 seed Cal Poly Pomona in the losers bracket final of the NCAA Division II West Regional on Saturday afternoon at Triton Ballpark.
The Tritons rallied from a three-run deficit to tie the game in the seventh and eighth innings, but the Broncos' Tyson Edwards hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth and CPP held on for the win.
UCSD, the two-time defending West Regional Champion, sees its season come to a close at 42-15.
"It was an incredible season and I'm so proud of our seniors and how they competed all year," head coach Dan O'Brien said. "They have a lot to be proud of. I know they didn't achieve their ultimate goal, but they're winners.
"These were four outstanding ball clubs competing here this weekend. I don't think we underachieved, I just think [Pomona] played better baseball and that's the bottom line."
Cal Poly Pomona (35-22) held a 4-1 lead heading into the seventh inning when the Tritons rallied for three runs to tie the score. Evan Kehoe and Kellen Lee hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and Garrett Tuck roped a single to right to make it 4-2. Two more runs came home when Kyle Saul singled and the Bronco second baseman made an errant throw to first on the play.
CPP came right back with a run in the bottom half, as Edwards walked and eventually scored on an error by the Tritons' first baseman.
UCSD tied the score again in the eighth on a big RBI double by Lee, but the Broncos answered once again as Jenzen Torres hit a one-out double to left center, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then came home on Edwards' shallow fly to center field.
Danny Susdorf's throw was just off the mark and Torres slid under the tag by Lee for the winning run.
Edwards finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Chris Miller also had two hits for the Broncos. Michael Parker (4-2) got the win, allowing a run on two hits in 1.2 innings of relief of starter Geoff Broussard.
Erick Ruvalcaba picked up the save after getting Aaron Bauman to ground into a game-ending double play in the ninth.
Kehoe went 2-for-3 with two runs scored for the Tritons, while Saul and Lee had two hits apiece. Five different players drove in UCSD's five runs.
Daniel Simmons (3-3) took the loss for the Tritons, surrendering a run on one hit in an inning and two-thirds out of the bullpen. Starter Greg Selarz allowed four runs on five hits in just three and two-thirds innings of work before giving way to Elias Tuma, who allowed a run on two hits in two and two-thirds.
Saturday's loss marked the final game for 14 Triton seniors, including Bauman, Kehoe, Lee, Saul and Simmons.
"We faced a lot of adversity and our guys put themselves in a position where they could back up what they've done the last couple of years," O'Brien added. "It was all led by the senior class. I am really feeling for them today with their careers coming to an end."
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Game Two: Cal Poly Pomona 5, Sonoma State 4
Allen Rodarte scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning as No. 3 seed Cal Poly Pomona defeated fourth-seeded Sonoma State 5-4 in the West Regional Championship game on Saturday evening at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla.
After eliminating host and top-seeded UC San Diego 6-5 earlier in the day, the Broncos (36-22), tied for 28th nationally, turned right around and handed the Seawolves (35-20) their first loss of the tournament in the nightcap, forcing a seventh and final game on Sunday.
The two teams will square off again on Sunday at noon, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Championship Finals in Cary, N.C. May 28-June 4.
Rodarte finished 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored for Pomona, which rebounded to win two straight after losing to Sonoma 10-2 on Friday evening. Travis Taijeron was 2-for-3 with a walk and a home run, while Jenzen Torres also tallied a pair of hits.
The Broncos held a 4-0 lead through four innings before Sonoma rallied with a run in the fifth and three in the third to tie the game at four runs apiece. The Seawolves put two on with one out in the eighth and then loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth and failed to score in both cases.
Rodarte and Jordan Whitman hit back-to-back singles to lead off the CPP ninth and then advanced on a balk by SSU pitcher Ian Ocon. Ocon's next pitch was in the dirt and got by catcher Kevin Cramer, allowing Rodarte to come home for the winning run.
"We weren't going to let any team just beat us and we really came together," Rodarte said. "We worked too hard for this. I always stayed ready for a situation like that and my situation came tonight and I made the best of it."
Erick Ruvalcaba (5-3), who earned the save in the Broncos' victory over UCSD earlier in the day, collected the win against the Seawolves, tossing a scoreless ninth after starter Casey Yokubaitis and Michael Parker combined to limit the red-hot Sonoma offense to just four runs on eight hits.
"We're thrilled to be in this position and it was really great to have pulled off two one-run games today," Pomona head coach Randy Betten said. "Momentum ran all over the field tonight."
O'Koyea Dickson went 3-for-5 with a run scored for the Seawolves, while Steven Filippi was 2-for-4. Ocon (3-5) took the loss, surrendering just the one run on two hits in two and a third innings of work.
Cal Poly Pomona and Sonoma State have met a total of seven times in 2011, with the Broncos winning four of the seven matchups after Saturday night's victory.
- ucsdtritons.com -
