LA JOLLA, Calif. - Fifteenth-ranked UC San Diego put a pair of runners on base in each of the final four innings, but could not produce the key hit in falling to a second 2-0 loss in as many days to fifth-ranked Colorado Mesa University Saturday afternoon at Triton Ballpark.
With the result, UCSD drops to 4-2 overall. Colorado Mesa, the 2014 national runner-up, moved to 2-0.
CMU registered the only two runs of the game on one swing with nobody out in the third, as junior centerfielder James Young III hit an opposite-field, two-run blast out to right center in his very first at-bat as a Maverick. Trevor Elcock beat out an infield single just before the College of Southern Nevada transfer's shot.
The game was a battle of dealing senior left-handers to start, with the Mavericks' Ryan Reno (1-0) retiring 15 of the 16 batters he faced, including the first 10. All he gave up was a one-out single up the middle to Troy Cruz (Chula Vista/Bonita Vista HS) in the fourth. Reno struck out five.
Making his second start of the season, fourth-year Triton Trevor Scott (1-1) was efficient in producing four 1-2-3 innings in his 6.1 frames. He allowed just a leadoff double in the fifth aside from the two hits in the third. Just like he did in his first outing of 2015 last Sunday, Scott struck out seven without a walk. He set down the first six Mavs in order, all on the infield, before Elcock's first-pitch single.
UCSD's most promising rally occurred in the seventh, as Michael Mann battled back from an 0-2 deficit to draw a six-pitch walk ahead of fellow senior infielder Erik Lewis' double inside the left field line. With the tying run at second base and no outs, both Tritons were left stranded after two swinging strikeouts around a foulout.
In the ninth, Lewis and Gradeigh Sanchez each drew walks off of Matt Allen, with Sanchez fouling off a pair of two-strike offerings during an eight-pitch at-bat. The situation brought on Tyler Ehlers again for what ended up as a second save in as many appearances. The big senior left-hander fielded a bunt to cut down Lewis at third, and after a wild pitch advanced both runners, a strikeout and flyout ended that final threat.
In the sixth, Tyler Howsley and Justin Flatt each walked with one away, but a strikeout and groundout denied the Tritons a first run for the weekend. The eighth saw Flatt single through the right side and Cruz walk on four Allen pitches with one out, before a flyout and groundout kept the score at 2-0.
Colorado Mesa almost added to its lead in the seventh as Scott plunked pinch-hitter Kevin Mitchell and then threw wide of Mann on a sacrifice attempt to put two Mavs on. PJ Gonzales bunted both teammates over, Chad Rieser replaced his fellow senior left-hander on the hill for UCSD. He struck out Trevor Elcock, walked Young on four pitches, and got Kevan Elcock, Trevor's twin, to foul out to Mann on one pitch.
Cruz put a charge into a Reno pitch in the first, but Young made a leaping grab to deny him extra bases. It was one of seven putouts in center for Young.
UCSD continues a season-opening, season-long 11-game homestand all next weekend, beginning California Collegiate Athletic Association play with a four-game series against SF State. First pitch for the opener in primetime on Friday night, Feb. 13, is set for 6 p.m. at Triton Ballpark.
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