LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego baseball team dropped its opening league game Friday, falling 4-1 against No. 10 Chico State at Triton Ballpark.
The loss lowered UCSD's overall record to 2-7 and its California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) mark to 0-1. Chico State remained perfect at 5-0 and is now 1-0 in league play.
The Wildcats got all the runs they would need in the top of the first inning by plating a pair. The Tritons tallied their lone run in the bottom half of the third.
To lead off the game, UCSD starter Jeff Rauh (0-2) got Cody Foster to pop up to second base. He walked TJ Yasuhara and Cody Webber reached on an error, advancing all the way to third with Yasuhara scoring on the play. Blake Gibbs drove in Webber, the eventual game-winning run, on a bunt to first base.
UCSD scored its lone run in the third. With one out, center fielder Danny Susdorf tripled to right. He crossed the plate on the next at-bat as right fielder Scott Liske popped up to left field, deep enough to score Susdorf.
Chico State added single runs in the fourth and seventh innings.
Rauh went 6.1 innings in the loss, giving up all four runs (one earned) on four hits. He struck out three and walked one.
CSUC starter Kagen Hopkins, the West Region Pitcher of the Week, improved to 2-0 as he tossed eight innings and gave up one run on eight hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Mike Botelho picked up the save, but not without trouble. In the bottom of the ninth, Garrett Tuck reached on an error before Botelho struck out the next two batters. Tuck moved up to second base on a passed ball and pinch hitter James Mossholder had an infield single, advancing Tuck to third. The bases were loaded as Susdorf was walked, but a third strikeout by Botelho ended the game.
UCSD out-hit CSUC 9-6 as Justin Rahn had three hits and Susdorf had two.
Blake Gibbs was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI for the Wildcats.
The Tritons left 10 runners on base in the game.
Chico State was coming off a four-game sweep over Saint Martin's at home.
The four-game series continues Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon and concludes Sunday with a single game at 11 a.m.
- UCSDtritons.com -
