LA JOLLA, Calif. - In a primetime pitcher's duel that spilled from the starting aces into the respective bullpens, No. 5 Colorado Mesa University was just that slight bit better in a 2-0 triumph over No. 15 UC San Diego Friday night at Triton Ballpark.
It marked the first loss of the year for UCSD, now 4-1 overall. Colorado Mesa (1-0), the 2014 national runner-up, was contesting its 2015 season opener, having won an exhibition game Thursday afternoon at Cal State San Marcos, 5-2, after arriving in California.
Five pitchers, two for the Tritons and three for the Mavericks, combined for 27 strikeouts on the night.
Junior right-hander Justin Donatella (0-1) made his 2015 debut for UCSD, fanning eight over four complete frames before exiting, having thrown 80 pitches already. He gave up both runs, just one of them earned, on seven hits without a walk.
Senior right-hander Dan Kolodin was magnificent in relief of Donatella, taking over for five no-hit innings. He struck out five without allowing a ball out of the infield, retiring 15 of the 16 batters he faced. Only first baseman Kevin Mitchell reached safely on an infield throwing error to begin the sixth.
On the other side, senior right-hander Matt Delay (1-0), the preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, struck out nine over five innings, scattering three singles and issuing one base on balls. Dakota Behr was also pretty solid with five strikeouts over 3.2 innings, before Tyler Ehlers registered the one-out save in the ninth.
CMU loaded the bases in each of the first two innings off of Donatella, but managed just a single tally in each.
The Mavericks produced an unearned run in an opening frame that saw Donatella register his first three strikeouts, but need a fourth out, as leadoff man Andy Scott swung at a third strike before reaching on what was scored a passed ball. The second baseman sprinted to third on an ensuing Zach McLeod double, and scored on Austin Wallingford's sacrifice fly.
In the second, Donatella set down two more on strikes, but four successive softly-hit one-out singles, with a PJ Gonzales bunt preceding three bloopers, led to the second Colorado Mesa run on McLeod's knock. Donatella persevered to catch Bligh Madris looking and induce a first-pitch comebacker, limiting the damage again to just one.
UCSD had its best chances to score in the third, sixth and ninth. The Tritons put together their first two hits off of Delay in the third with one out, before a flyout and groundout. Jack Larsen and Michael Mann walked back-to-back with one gone in the sixth. They each moved into scoring position with their first stolen base of the year as Erik Lewis struck out, and Troy Cruz (Chula Vista/Bonita Vista HS) walked to load the bags. Behr got a flyout, however, to leave them all stranded.
With two away in the ninth, Steven Coe (Valley Center/Valley Center HS) worked a walk and fellow pinch-hitter Christian Leung singled to center to give the Tritons a final hope. That's when Ehlers came on and got a groundout to end the drama.
Trevor Elcock suffered the misfortune of lining into a pair of web games, with Triton third baseman Cruz and second baseman Lewis each sprawling out to their left to rob the CMU centerfielder in the fifth and ninth, respectively. He still went 2-for-4.
Sophomore shortstop Tyler Howsley also made a tough play on a grounder in the seventh, handling a tough hop off the dirt before showing off a strong arm to first. Moments later, Kolodin bare-handed first baseman Mann's toss at the bag.
UCSD and Colorado Mesa conclude their short two-game series on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 7. First pitch at Triton Ballpark is set for 1 p.m.
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