GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The Triton offense finally sparked and ignited Sunday as the UC San Diego baseball team used 17 hits, five of those off the bat of Nick La Face, to defeat No. 29 Colorado Mesa, 11-7, at Canyon View Park.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak and UCSD (2-6) avoided being swept in the four-game series. CMU (5-3) had 12 hits, but its pitching staff allowed 10 earned runs over the first four innings.
UCSD scored a lone run in the second inning before exploding for five runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a commanding 11-0 lead. The Mavericks scored three runs in the fifth and two in the seventh and eighth innings.
La Face, who entered the day with just five hits over the first seven games of the season, went 5-for-6 with four doubles, two runs scored and three RBI. The Triton catcher knocked in one run with a double in the third inning and two runs with a double in the fourth.
The 17 hits were the most for UCSD this season. The previous high was 12 in a 14-4 win over Western Oregon on Feb. 4.
Four Tritons had multiple hits as freshman third baseman Ryan O'Malley was 3-for-4 and second baseman Sam Michaels and left fielder Justin Rahn each had two hits.
Center fielder Danny Susdorf stole a career-high three bases for UC San Diego.
UCSD starter Justin Burns gave up three runs on six hits over 4.2 innings of work. He struck out three and walked three in the no decision. Freshman reliever Chad Rieser got the win as he replaced Burns with two outs in the fifth inning.
Colorado Mesa struggled on the mound. Starter Garrett Carpenter (0-2) surrendered six runs on nine hits over the first three innings and took the loss. Kris Carlson, CMU's first reliever, came on to start the fourth inning and gave up four runs on two hits without recording an out.
At the plate, four Mavericks had two hits apiece including Braden Box, Erik Kozel, Jake Kluge and Dustin Fackrell.
"This team showed grit to come out and be aggressive in the wake of the last two days," said first-year UCSD head coach Eric Newman. "The guys showed a lot of resolve and faith and I was really proud of how they came out today and competed."
UCSD returns home to open its California Collegiate Athletic Association season Feb. 17-19 against Chico State at Triton Ballpark. The Wildcats are 4-0 after sweeping a series from Saint Martin's over the weekend.
- UCSDtritons.com -
