LA JOLLA, Calif. - Senior right-hander Alon Leichman was brilliant over seven shutout innings, but Concordia struck for five runs over the final two frames to take a 5-0 victory over No. 16 UC San Diego in the opener of a four-game non-conference baseball series Friday night at Triton Ballpark.
With the defeat, UCSD fell to 7-2. CUI improved to 4-5 with its first road win of 2016, after four straight losses outside of Irvine.
Leichman allowed just a bunt single and a double, striking out six, a high for his Triton career. The 7.0 innings matched the longest outing of his UCSD days, coming off of a complete game in the seven-inning doubleheader of last Friday's doubleheader. Leichman needed just 76 pitches to get through the seven frames.
Drawing his first Friday-night series-opening start for the Tritons, Leichman set the first 14 Concordia batters down in order, with six on strikes, the first four of which were looking. Hitting Michael Nava with a 2-2 offering after back-to-back swinging strikeouts finally broke up the perfection in the fifth, but the native of Israel calmly grabbed a comebacker from Nick Daley and ran to the bag himself for the third out.
After a popout to open the sixth, Eagle centerfielder Ryan Land laid down a bunt single to end the no-hit bid. Consecutive flyouts left him stranded at first.
With the game still scoreless after six, CUI began the seventh with an opposite-field double just inside the left field line by Brett Barker. Chad Whiteaker's hot shot back up the box was nicely knocked down by Leichman, however, with Barker breaking for third. Leichman was able to bound after the ball, pick it up and get the lead runner at third for the first out. Two more fly balls got him through the inning.
Leichman threw three straight strikes to Tino Leite to open the game, catching the second baseman staring at the third to ignite a seven-pitch frame.
On the offensive side, UCSD was out-hitting CUI, 7-2, through seven, but left the bases loaded back-to-back in the sixth and seventh.
Concordia finally pushed across the night's first run in the eighth on an RBI fielder's choice groundout to redshirt sophomore first baseman Justin Flatt. After a second intentional walk in the inning filled the bags back up, Whiteaker flied out to keep the damage minimal. The Eagles broke it open in the ninth, however, getting four runs on four hits and benefitting from an outfield error that allowed two more runs to score on a bases-loaded RBI single by Luke Van Holten.
UCSD put a man on base in every inning before reliever Garrett Kraemer (1-0) retired the Tritons in order in the eighth and ninth.
Freshman right-hander Jonah Dipoto (1-1) took the loss, with two of the five runs against him unearned through the two defensive miscues in the ninth. Travis Roberts got the final three outs, including a double play which he started by scooping up a popped-up sacrifice attempt, before firing to first to nail the runner.
Flatt, Gradeigh Sanchez and Jack Larsen had two hits apiece for the Tritons. Flatt also made a tough defensive pick-up on a low throw by JD Hearn in the second.
Land was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI for CUI. Starter Isaiah Terrazas fanned six over six shutout innings, with six hits, all singles, and two walks against him.
UCSD continues its season-opening 13-game homestand, and the weekend series with Concordia, with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 20. First pitch of game one at Triton Ballpark is set for 2 p.m., with a shortened seven-inning nightcap to follow.
Triton Notes: Tyler Howsley has started 66 straight games, all at shortstop, dating back to the 2015 opener ... Justin Flatt made his first appearance since the season opener on Feb. 6, earning his third career start at first base after missing the previous seven games ... Alon Leichman drew his 15th mound start at UCSD ... UCSD was shut out three times a season ago, with the last one coming on Feb. 15.
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