LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 15th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team got a strong six-inning start from All-American Troy Cruz and a pair of home runs offensively in completing the sweep of a season-opening four-game non-conference series with visiting Western Oregon University, 5-1, Tuesday night at Triton Ballpark.
UCSD had already clinched the series victory between West Region contenders after taking both ends of a doubleheader on Sunday, 4-0 and 8-3, and earning a 12-5 decision on Monday night. Western Oregon dropped to 0-4 while the Wolves remain in San Diego for another four games at Point Loma Thursday through Saturday.
Making his mound debut for 2015, Cruz (Chula Vista/Bonita Vista HS) allowed one run on three singles. He struck out three and did not walk a batter, picking up the winning decision. With Wolves at first and second and just one away in a scoreless game in the third, Cruz got leadoff batter Marcus Hinkle to hit a comebacker, and calmly began an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play for the game's only twin killing.
Senior left-hander Chad Rieser tossed a dominant two frames, striking out the side in order in the seventh before navigating his way around a one-out single in the eighth. No balls left the infield against Rieser, who even picked up an assist. Redshirt freshman right-hander John Erhardt handled the ninth with one strikeout.
Redshirt freshman leftfielder Justin Flatt put the Tritons on the scoreboard with a towering solo home run over the right field wall with one out in the third. It was his team-best second of the young season from the very top of the Triton batting order.
Western Oregon tied it up in the fifth, only for UCSD to answer right back with a two-run home half. Sophomore shortstop Tyler Howsley began the rally by surviving an 0-2 count, fouling off two Garrett Alvarez pitches, and drawing an eight-pitch walk. A fielder's choice off the bat of Flatt cut Howsley down ahead of a Brandon Shirley single. Sophomore rightfielder Jack Larsen, who had earlier in the day been named the California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week for the first time, then came through with a single to right center that brought Flatt home with what proved to be the winning run. With Larsen and Shirley at the corners and two gone, senior second baseman Erik Lewis took advantage of Hinkle moving from his normal shortstop spot toward the second-base bag as the pitch was being delivered, and poked an opposite-field RBI single for a 3-1 Triton lead.
UCSD added a pair of insurance runs on Shirley's first long ball of the year, out to left on a 3-2 pitch with two away in the eighth. Senior catcher Brett Levy singled to lead off, moved to second on Howsley's bunt, and came across the plate ahead of Shirley.
Cruz had actually almost gotten out of the visitor fifth unscathed after a hit-by-pitch and single left Western Oregon runners at the corners with nobody out. He fell behind 2-0 to the next batter before coming back to strike him out. A second hit-by-pitch to load the bases followed. Cody Poznanski's ground ball looked like it could end the inning through a 6-4-3 double play, but the junior barely beat the throw to first as the tying run scored. Another fielder's choice groundout limited the damage.
Shirley finished 3-for-5 with the home run, two runs scored and two RBI. Cruz and Levy added two hits apiece. Flatt scored a pair of runs and Larsen walked twice.
Despite taking the loss, Alvarez (0-1) was very effective for the Wolves, the junior right-hander fanning six over his five innings.
UCSD continues a season-opening 11-game homestand this Friday night, Feb. 6, beginning a short two-game set with fifth-ranked 2014 national runner-up Colorado Mesa University (0-0). First pitch at Triton Ballpark is set for 6 p.m.
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