SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Two one-run victories completed a four-game series sweep by the seventh-ranked UC San Diego baseball team against league opponent Cal State San Bernardino Saturday at Fiscalini Field. The games wrapped up the regular season for both squads and the Tritons will head to next week's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament as the top seed and face off against fourth-seeded Cal Poly Pomona in the first round.
In the first game of the doubleheader, senior Nick Hom had a pinch hit RBI double in the top of the ninth to put UCSD ahead 3-2 and classmate Daniel Simmons shut the door in order in the bottom half to seal the win. In the second game, the Tritons scored the game-winning run on a balk in the top of the seventh, and final, inning.
UCSD, winners of its last 17, finished the regular season at 38-12 overall and took first place with a 29-11 mark in the CCAA. While the Tritons had already sewn up the top seed in the four-team CCAA Tournament, the Coyotes needed to win both of Saturday's games to clinch a berth. They ended their season at 23-23 and 20-18, a fifth place finish.
"Today's wins were a direct reflection of this team's makeup," said UCSD head coach Dan O'Brien. "They could've gone through the motions all day but instead they chose to battle and compete. That's who they are now, they're flat out winners."
San Bernardino went up 1-0 in the opening game when left fielder Matt Winn took an offering from senior starter Taylor Austin over the left field wall in the bottom of the second, his fourth home run of the season and the third surrendered by Austin this year.
The Tritons returned the favor and stung the Coyotes with a long ball in the sixth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Senior right fielder Kyle Saul launched a two-run shot off of starter Lucas Sanford, his third of the season. Senior first baseman Blake Tagmyer, who had doubled, scored on the play.
Following a scoreless seventh, San Bernardino evened the game at 2-2 in the eighth. Right fielder David Silvas led off with a double and was brought home when first baseman Brandon Day singled to right.
The Tritons left three runners on base in the eighth, while the Coyotes stranded one.
In the top of the ninth, Josh Pond came on as CSUSB's fourth pitcher. Pond got the first two batters he faced, one on a strikeout, the other on a ground ball, before senior left fielder Aaron Bauman doubled to right to set the stage for Hom. Hom came in to replace Scott Liske, who had run for starting designated hitter Nick La Face in the eighth. His shot to right center allowed to Bauman to score the go-ahead, and eventual game-winning, run from second.
Simmons ended it quickly in the bottom of the ninth. He went 1-2-3 with a fly out, a foul out, and a called strikeout to earn his fourth straight save. Elias Tuma (6-0) got the win, tossing two-thirds of an inning and giving up a hit in the eighth.
The Triton outfield continuing producing at the plate as Bauman, Saul and center fielder Danny Susdorf all had two hits each.
Silvas finished with two hits while Pond dropped to 0-2 with the loss.
Game two saw the Coyotes jump out to an early lead for the third time in the four-game series. In the bottom of the first, Day drove in center fielder Ethan Chapman with a two-out double off Triton starter Jeff Rauh. UCSD evened it with a single run in the third when senior catcher Michael Benton hit a bomb to center field, his second jack of the season.
A total of nine runs crossed the plate in the fourth with the Tritons scoring four and the Coyotes responding with five to take a 6-5 lead. In the sixth, Susdorf singled to drive in third baseman Matt Hubbard and tie the game at 6-6.
In UC San Diego's half of the seventh, Benton led off with a double that went to the same part of the yard as his home run, but scraped the fence. Liske ran for Benton and took third on a sacrifice bunt by senior second baseman Grant Bauer. Pond came in to relieve Kyle Krogman and balked to let in Liske for the winning run.
In the bottom half, Tuma entered the game and gave up a hit before retiring the next three batters to record his seventh save. Greg Selarz, the fourth pitcher used by the Tritons, got the win and improved to 3-1. He gave up a hit in one scoreless inning.
Benton finished 3-for-3 and just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Tuck also went 3-for-3 and had a run scored, while Susdorf was 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI. UCSD out-hit CSUSB 14-9.
Krogman fell to 0-1 with the loss. Chapman, Day and third baseman Bryce Holland had two hits apiece.
"Our guys have a lot to be proud of considering how far they've come and how much they've matured as a team," said O'Brien, the two-time defending NCBWA National Coach of the Year. "I'm equally as proud of the seniors for their leadership between the lines. They've stepped up in a big way."
The CCAA Tournament runs from Thursday, May 12 through Saturday, May 14 at Klein Family Field in Stockton, Calif. Sonoma State, No. 27 Chico State and Cal Poly Pomona will join UCSD in Stockton. Sonoma plays a doubleheader at Chico State Sunday and will secure the No. 2 seed with one win. Chico State would grab the second seed with a sweep, otherwise the Wildcats will finish as the third seed.
As the fourth seed, Cal Poly Pomona will play UC San Diego in Thursday's first round. The Tritons are 3-1 against the Broncos this season with two wins in La Jolla and one in Pomona. Scores were 5-2, 2-1, 8-7 (11 innings) and 1-5.
For complete information on CCAA Tournament tickets, directions, accommodations, parking, media coverage and more, visit the official tournament page.
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