LA JOLLA, Calif. - UC San Diego and No. 29 Cal State Monterey Bay split a doubleheader Saturday as the Tritons used some ninth-inning heroics to win the first game, 4-3, and the Otters rebounded to take a commanding 9-0 victory in the nightcap at Triton Ballpark.
Second baseman Spencer Frazier drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of game one, while the Tritons were held to just one hit and one base runner in the second contest.
UCSD is now 10-13 overall and 8-7 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), while CSUMB is 13-8 on the season and 6-5 in CCAA play.
With the score tied 3-3 after eight and a half innings of play, second baseman Ryan O'Malley reached on a fielder's choice. First baseman Richard Seigel, who had previously singled, was out on the play for the second out of the inning. O'Malley moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, which set the table for Frazier. He banged a solid base hit into left field, plating O'Malley from second base for the walk-off victory.
UCSD had to play from behind as Monterey Bay scored a pair of runs in the third inning. A sacrifice fly by designated hitter Jeff Phillips plated the game's first run and a RBI single by right fielder Tommy George put the Otters up 2-0.
The Tritons got a run back in the fifth. Seigel reached on a perfect bunt towards third base to lead off the frame. He took second on a sacrifice bunt by O'Malley and then moved to third on a passed ball. Center fielder Danny Susdorf drove in Seigel with a single to center, making the score 2-1 in favor of the Otters.
UCSD took its first lead of the game in the sixth inning. With one out, designated hitter Nick La Face singled and left fielder Justin Rahn followed with a double to center. With Scott Liske running for Rahn, catcher Brett Levy laced a single down the right field line, scoring La Face from third to knot the game at 2-2. Liske came in to score on a RBI fielder's choice by Seigel.
George came up huge for Cal State Monterey Bay in the top of the eighth. He led off the inning with an infield single and proceeded to steal second base and third base. Following a strikeout, catcher Jesse Olson hit a ball to the right side of the infield. The throw went to the plate, but it wasn't in time to get George, who scored to tie the game again at 3-3.
UC San Diego had nine hits in the first game, two each for Levy, Seigel and Susdorf.
Tony York (2-0) got the win in a relief role, giving up one hit over 1.2 innings of work. Triton starter Jeff Rauh surrendered two runs on six hits through six innings. He struck out three and walked three.
CSUMB, which left 11 runners on base, got two hits each from left fielder Jared DeCastro, George and shortstop Jason Merjano.
Reliever Dylan Auker (0-2) pitched the final 2.2 innings and gave up the game-winning run and hit. Starter Aaron Appino went six full innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking one.
Jeff Owen (1-1) threw a gem for Monterey Bay in the second game. The redshirt freshman right-hander gave up just one hit and faced the minimum while striking out seven in the seven-inning game. The lone hit came off the bat of Seigel in the third inning, a lead-off single to center. Seigel was later erased from the basepaths trying to steal third.
The CSUMB offense provided plenty of support for Owen, totaling nine hits and scoring six runs in the third inning, one in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
Merjano was 2-for-4 with four RBI as he cracked a three-run home run over the right field fence in the third. First baseman Brian Haggett homered to the same spot three at-bats later, a two-run job that gave the Otters a comfortable 6-0 lead.
Freshman southpaw Trevor Scott, making just his second career start, dropped to 1-3 with the loss. He gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits through 3.2 innings. Scott struck out three and walked one. Reliever Chad Rieser held the Otters scoreless and allowed just one hit in the final 2.2 innings.
The two squads finish the four-game series Sunday with a single tilt at 11 a.m. The Tritons will be looking for their first series win of the season as they defeated the Otters 10-1 in Friday's opener.
Sunday's game will be covered by live video and live stats.
UCSD students are admitted free to all regular season home games. General admission tickets are $5 and are available one hour prior to the first pitch.
- UCSDtritons.com -
