THE SCHEDULE
Games 25-28
vs. No. 24 Cal Poly Pomona (15-6, 7-3 CCAA)
Saturday, March 19 • 6 p.m.
Scolinos Field • Pomona
Live Audio • Live Stats

Sunday, March 20 • 2 p.m. (DH)
Triton Ballpark • La Jolla
Live Video • Live Stats

Monday, March 21 • 6 p.m.
Scolinos Field • Pomona
Live Audio • Live Stats

After taking winter quarter final exams, the 23rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball program has a fourth straight four-game, split-venue series on tap against a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) South Division opponent. The Tritons (17-7, 7-5 CCAA) take on No. 24 Cal Poly Pomona (15-6, 7-3 CCAA) in a showdown between the top two teams in the South standings, who happened to meet in the 2015 West Region final. CPP is the reigning CCAA regular-season, tournament and West Region champion, as well as the league's unanimous preseason favorite. The series opens in primetime in Pomona on Saturday, March 19, with first pitch underneath the new lights at Scolinos Field set for 6 p.m. That conclusion of that game will mark the halfway point of UCSD's 50-game regular season. The action then shifts south to La Jolla and Triton Ballpark on Sunday, March 20, for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. The nightcap will be a shortened seven-inning contest. The series finale begins at 6 p.m. back at Scolinos Field on Monday night, March 21.

Spring Break will serve as no break for the Tritons, who, coming off of a 3-5 record over their last eight following a 14-2 start to the campaign, play their next seven against the favorites of the CCAA South and North divisions, respectively. A visit to Chico State comes next, March 25-26. The Broncos and Wildcats are both in and around the various national polls. UCSD knocked off then-10th-ranked CPP, 6-2, in a non-conference tilt in La Jolla on Feb. 14.

This weekend will mark UCSD's final four-game weekend series with a South opponent, all the way until the end of the regular season in May, when the Tritons play Cal State San Marcos four times. Until then, they will have six consecutive weeks of three-gamers against the North.

ADMISSION POLICIES FOR TRITON BALLPARK
General admission for all regular-season home games at Triton Ballpark is $5. UCSD students are admitted FREE with valid identification. Dogs and other pets are not allowed, nor are coolers. University food truck, Flavors of the World, is on site for all home contests, with a more ballpark-oriented menu featuring the Triton Dog, sliders, nachos, pizza, sunflower seeds, peanuts and popcorn. Also new this year for those chilly primetime affairs are hot beverages like coffee, tea and hot cocoa. The food truck accepts Visa, MasterCard, Triton Cash and Dining Dollars.

PARKING INFO
Parking on the UCSD campus is free on weekends, but a permit is required on weeknights. They can be purchased at the machine near the entrance to the Triton Ballpark parking lot. Please be aware of the danger of foul balls to your vehicle when parking. Overflow parking is available in the lots beyond the right field wall, still along Voigt Drive.

LIVE COVERAGE
A majority of UCSD home games at Triton Ballpark feature live online video at our new streaming portal, UCSDtritons.tv. Audio commentary is provided again this year by former Triton pitcher (2007-08) Tim Strombel (@Timmy2Sides). All remaining contests will be broadcast barring unforeseen circumstances. Some road contests also have video and/or audio. Both in Pomona have an audio stream. All games have live stats. Fans can access live coverage from the Schedule/Results page, or by clicking on the links above. Starting lineups, live between-inning updates and other in-game news and notes can be found by following Triton Baseball all season long on the UCSD Athletics Twitter handle (@UCSDtritons). Also be sure to follow the team @UCSDbsb. Finally, check out the new and improved CCAA live scoreboard here to keep up on results around the league.

UCSD AND VIASAT TEAM UP TO BRING YOU UCSDTRITONS.TV!
UC San Diego Athletics has partnered with local broadband services and technology giant ViaSat to create UCSDtritons.tv, an online streaming platform. The channel will carry all Triton home basketball and volleyball contests, a majority of baseball, softball and water polo games, and a variety of other home events featuring virtually every one of UCSD's 23 intercollegiate sports at least once. All broadcasts are live, in high definition, and can be viewed for the first time from smartphones and tablets alongside desktop and laptop computers. UCSD alum and former pitcher (2007-08) Tim Strombel (@Timmy2Sides) is back for another season as the play-by-play voice of Triton Baseball. Viewing is subscription-based, though it is free from UCSD campus IP addresses. A package that gives viewers access to all streamed events through the 2015-16 academic year is available for $29.99. A single-day pay-per-view option can be purchased for $5.99, meaning doubleheaders are two-for-one. Most events are archived.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Subject to change.
Sat.: RHP Jack Rupe, Jr. (So.; 3-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. LHP Max Bethell (Sr., 2-2, 2.33 ERA)
Sun. G1: LHP Preston Mott (Fr.; 0-0, 2.92 ERA) vs. TBA
Sun. G2: RHP Alon Leichman (RSr.; 2-1, 2.84 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Koval (Jr., 3-0, 2.16 ERA)
Mon.: RHP John Erhardt (RSo.; 1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Olson (Jr., 3-0, 1.93 ERA)

RANKINGS REPORT
UCSD moved down in all four national polls this week after dropping a four-game set to Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Tritons' No. 5 position in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll on Feb. 29 was their highest under fifth-year head coach Eric Newman, and best since they were No. 3 on March 7, 2011. The Tritons were ranked as high as fourth by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on March 1. Regionally speaking, they were rated No. 1 in the West for four weeks in a row by both D2 Baseball News and the NCBWA. UCSD moved to No. 4 and No. 3 in those lists, respectively, this week, with CPP at No. 2 and No. 4.

QUICK STATS

CRUZ BACK ON THE DIAMOND
Senior utility Troy Cruz, a 2014 All-American and three-time All-CCAA selection, finally made his 2016 debut as the starting designated hitter at Cal State Dominguez Hills this past Sunday, March 13. The Chula Vista product had missed the first 22 games due to injury, and has still yet to make a mound appearance in 2016. In the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, he went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt, sacrifice fly, run scored, two RBI and a stolen base in the Tritons' 14-4 romp. He did not play in the nightcap. Also on the mend is redshirt sophomore right-hander John Erhardt (1-0, 3.60 ERA), who has not thrown since taking the ball in the season opener back on Feb. 6, but who is expected back this weekend and listed as the probable starter in Monday night's series finale at Cal Poly Pomona.

THE RUPE IS ON FIRE!
In his second year of college baseball, San Marcos product (Mission Hills HS) Jack Rupe, Jr. (3-1, 2.70 ERA) has turned in three exquisite outings. The right-hander most recently drew his second start of the year and third of his career, and went a career-long 7.0 shutout innings in a 14-4 win at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sunday. He scattered three singles and a walk, with five strikeouts. Previously, Rupe turned in two lengthy, winning relief stints. He threw a then-career-long 5.2 innings of shutout baseball in a 6-2 home win over Concordia on Feb. 21, with two singles and an intentional walk against him and three strikeouts. He followed that up with another 5.1 frames on Feb. 27 in San Bernardino, fanning a career-high eight (2 H, R, 0 BB). He retired 14 straight from the third to the eighth, and struck out the side in the seventh. Rupe is expected to get his first career series-opening start when the Tritons head to Pomona this Saturday night, March 19.

THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
UCSD was a perfect 16-0 when scoring three or more runs in a game in 2016, before finally suffering a 9-8 extra-inning defeat against Cal State Dominguez Hills in a contest that began in La Jolla on March 11 and ended in Carson on March 13. The Tritons are now 17-1 in such games, and conversely are 0-6 when they manage two runs or fewer.

START NOTES
UCSD got out to a 5-0 start for the first time in its NCAA Division II history (since 2001) ... The Tritons' 14-2 overall start was also their best in Division II ... The Tritons were 6-2 in CCAA play for the second straight year, and had gone 7-1 to start league play in 2003, 2008 and 2009.

STREAK STUFF
UCSD has produced win streaks of five straight to begin the year, and a season-best seven straight from Feb. 20-28 ... The Tritons have lost back-to-back games just once ... UCSD's best current hit streak is Jack Larsen at four ... Larsen and Gradeigh Sanchez (season-opening) have each had a 10-game hit streak in 2016 ... Larsen earlier had a hit in each of the first seven contests, giving him a career-best 11-gamer going back to the end of 2015, with the same holding true for Sanchez, who notched three hits in the 2015 finale ... Steven Coe had reached base safely in a team-best 16 straight, with Tyler Plantier's current team-best stretch at 14.

LAST TIME OUT
UCSD dropped a four-game set with Cal State Dominguez Hills last weekend, its first series loss since another 3-1 defeat to this week's opponent, Cal Poly Pomona, last April. The Tritons fell at home to begin the weekend, 9-2, on Thursday night. Friday's meeting was suspended by rain in a 7-7 deadlock in the 11th, after the Tritons had rallied from a 7-2 deficit with four in the seventh and one in the eighth. The Toros still pulled out a 9-8 decision, however, in Sunday's resumption in Carson in 11 innings. The teams then split their regularly-scheduled doubleheader, with UCSD rolling to a 14-4 victory behind a 20-hit barrage and career-long seven shutout frames by Jack Rupe, Jr., before getting blanked 2-0 in the seven-inning nightcap.

LARSEN LEADING ON OFFENSE
Jack Larsen has started all 24 games and leads the team with a .362 batting average, four (tied) doubles, league-best three (tied) triples, four home runs, 23 RBI, 56 total bases and a .596 slugging percentage. He is second with 25 runs scored. Over the first four weeks, Larsen drove in 10 runs in two of them. He still has a share of the CCAA lead in that category. His first three home runs were hammered out to right, with the last one to right center. Larsen has at least one hit in 21 of 24 games. He is second in the CCAA in hits, tied for third in runs, and seventh in home runs.

GET ON AND GET AROUND, GRADEIGH
Fourth-year leftfielder Gradeigh Sanchez is the lone senior in the Tritons' everyday lineup, typically at the top of the order. The Mission Viejo product leads the CCAA (tied) with his 26 runs scored. A remarkable 12 of those runs came in the four-game series with CSUSB. He reached based on four occasions in the Sunday finale and crossed the plate each time. Sanchez had a career-high 33 runs in 51 games played in 2015.

THE WIZARD OF LA JOLLA
Tyler Howsley has been magical with the glove in 2016. The junior shortstop earned All-CCAA honorable mention for the first time a year ago, and handled his first 52 defensive chances cleanly (10 games) this season. He now has three errors in 129 chances, which came over a three-game stretch (Feb. 20-26), for a fielding percentage of .977. Howsley and Jack Larsen, teammates throughout their days at Mission Viejo's Capistrano Valley High School, are the only two Tritons to have started all 24 games. In fact, Howsley has drawn 81 consecutive starts, all at shortstop, going back to the 2015 opener. He has zero errors in the last 11 contests, over 63 chances.

PLANT GROWING
Tyler Plantier has been dialed in for his sophomore season. He is hitting .325 and is second on the squad with two home runs and 22 RBI. That RBI total is tied for third in the CCAA. Plantier batted a team-best .440 (11-for-25) through eight games. His first home run of 2016, the first of his career at Triton Ballpark after one long ball on the road as a rookie, was a game-tying, two-run shot hammered out to left against UT-Permian Basin on Feb. 11. The Poway product's other shot came on Feb. 27 in San Bernardino, a three-run blast to left in the first inning of a 20-4 rout. His two-run double in a five-run first at Cal State LA on March 6 spurred a 6-5 victory to earn the series split.

LEICHMAN STEADY ON STAFF
Alon Leichman is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA over a team-high six starts. He went seven full innings, his long for the program, in three consecutive starts from Feb. 12-26. The senior right-hander tossed the first complete game by a Triton pitcher in 2016, doing so in the seven-inning doubleheader nightcap against UT-Permian Basin on Feb. 12. The native of Israel allowed three runs, two of them earned, six hits and one walk in the 5-3 win, while striking out five. It was in fact the first complete game by a Triton since the only one of the 2015 campaign, a nine-inning shutout by former ace Justin Donatella at Cal State East Bay last Feb. 27. Leichman went seven more in home starts against Concordia on Feb. 19 and CSUSB on Feb. 26. Against CUI, he scattered two hits while striking out six, his high for UCSD, and exited a scoreless contest that eventually resulted in a 5-0 loss. Leichman retired the first 14 batters he faced before a two-out hit-by-pitch in the fifth, and had a no-hitter through 5.1 ahead of a bunt single.

#FRESHMANINVASION
UCSD has started 15 of its 24 games with a true freshman on the mound, and is 11-4 after winning the first 10. During the marathon six-game weekend Feb. 11-14, right-handers Kyle Mora and Kyle Lucke and left-handers Brent Bell and Preston Mott led the Tritons to four victories. Mott took the hill against 10th-ranked defending conference and region champion Cal Poly Pomona, and tossed five shutout frames. The quartet combined to allow just three earned runs over 19.0 innings pitched, for a 1.42 ERA. Lucke (3-1), Bell (2-0) and Mott (0-0) made up the rotation around third-year veteran Triton Alon Leichman for the following three weeks. The freshman arms have combined for a 10-3 record overall and 3.16 ERA (38 ER) over 108.1 innings pitched. Lucke started his first series opener March 3 at Cal State LA, with Mott firing a season-long 7.0 shutout frames in a 9-1 home loss to CSULA on March 5, both taking no-decisions. Combined with three redshirt freshmen who have seen action, the numbers are 11-5 and a 3.56 ERA in 126.1 frames, with six saves. Lucke is tied for fourth in the CCAA in wins.

SAN BERN SERIES SUPERLATIVES
UCSD's 9-4 victory on Feb. 26 marked CCAA win No. 100 for fifth-year head coach Eric Newman ... The Tritons are 4-1 in CCAA openers under Newman, with four straight wins after a 4-1 loss to Chico State in La Jolla on Feb. 17, 2012 ... UCSD is 9-7 in CCAA openers all-time (since 2001), and 9-1 with six splits in sets to begin the league season ... The Tritons out-scored the Coyotes over four games, 50-16, with Gradeigh Sanchez crossing the plate 12 times by himself ... UCSD improved its team batting average 30 points, from .283 to .313, and almost doubled its season scoring output, from 60 runs over its first 12 games, to 110 ... Unofficially, the Tritons saw 772 pitches over 32 innings of offense, topping out at an incredible 244 in the 20-4 contest to begin Saturday's twin bill in San Bernardino ... The last known instance of 200 pitches seen by UCSD hitters, was 219 against Azusa Pacific on the first day of the 2015 NCAA West Regional ... The Tritons' 20 runs on Saturday were their most since a 20-5 home win over Cal Poly Pomona during the 2014 NCAA West Regional on May 16, 2014, and also is the top run total by any CCAA team thus far in 2016 ... The 21 hits from that same game were UCSD's most since collecting 23 in an 18-1 home win over CSUSB on April 21, 2015 ... Upon first glance, it appears the last time UCSD tallied 50 runs in a four-game series, was 52 in a non-conference home set with Grand Canyon, Feb. 12-13, 2010 ... UCSD's previous four-game CCAA sweep was at home over rival Chico State, March 6-8, 2015 ... The Tritons last swept their first CCAA set of the year back in 2009 at Cal State Monterey Bay.

LARSEN WINS PAIR OF WEEKLY HONORS
Jack Larsen was named both the NCBWA West Region and CCAA Player of the Week on March 1, after batting a team-best .563 (9-for-16) with team highs of nine hits, 10 RBI and 16 total bases against CSUSB. He slugged 1.000 with two doubles, one triple and a home run, and handled all nine defensive chances cleanly, including a pair of clutch catches Sunday. Larsen had multiple hits in three of the four games, and at least two RBI in all four. The junior is a one-time NCBWA and two-time CCAA honoree for his career.

TRIPLES ALLEY
Through 24 games, UCSD has 13 triples, tops in the CCAA and tied for first in the West Region and fourth in all of Division II. The Tritons had 10 three-baggers in all for 57 contests a season ago. They hit three triples in the opener of the Feb. 20 doubleheader against Concordia, marking the first time UCSD had hit that many triples in a single game since an 11-6 home win over Sonoma State on April 5, 2012. The Tritons had four triples in all in that twin bill. Jack Larsen and Brandon Shirley are tied atop the league chart at a career-high three triples apiece.

OVERTURNING FIRST-INNING DEFICITS
UCSD is 6-1 when allowing a first-inning run to the opposition in 2016, the lone loss coming at home against Cal State Dominguez Hills, 9-2, on March 10 after a three-run Toro first. The Tritons had a string of four such games, all wins, from Feb. 20-27.

#BASEBALLGEDDON
UCSD went 5-1 during an incredible stretch of six games in four days, amounting to 72 hours, Feb. 11-14. The sequence began with a three-game sweep of UT-Permian Basin as the Tritons reached a perfect 5-0 for the first time in their NCAA Division II history (since 2001). They then split the Feb. 13 doubleheader with Cal State San Bernardino, before posting a big 6-2 win over then-10th-ranked preseason CCAA favorite Cal Poly Pomona on Feb. 14. That last result snapped a five-game losing streak for UCSD against CPP dating back to the 2015 series opener between the division rivals. The meetings with the Coyotes and Broncos were of the non-conference variety. Jack Larsen powered three home runs deep to right field and knocked in 10 runs over the six games, while Tyler Plantier continued his hot start to his sophomore campaign, going 10-for-21 (.476) with a double, home run and six RBI.

DEBUT DETAILS
Tritons to make their debut for the club this season have been junior transfers Vince Mori (Palomar College) and JD Hearn (UC Santa Barbara) as primary starters at second and third base, respectively, along with redshirt freshmen Erik Amundson, Cameron Kurz, Michael Palos and Zach Wallace, and true freshmen Brent Bell, Jonah Dipoto, Tyler Durna, Andres Kim, Kyle Lucke, Kyle Mora, Preston Mott and Tim Nelson ... Mori's first home run as a Triton was UCSD's first long ball of 2016, giving his side a 3-1 edge in the nightcap of the Opening Day doubleheader on Feb. 6 ... Kurz, out of Encinitas (La Costa Canyon HS) is tied for first in the CCAA and 11th nationally with four saves.

WALK-OFF WINNERS
Jack Larsen accounted for UCSD's first walk-off victory of 2016 in the Opening Day doubleheader nightcap on Feb. 6. His two-out RBI single through the right side, seen here, chased Steven Coe home from second in the 10th for the 4-3 Triton win. Coe was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved to second on Tyler Howsley's sacrifice. Larsen has two walk-off hits for his career, having produced a two-run single up the middle in the ninth inning against Cal State LA as a freshman in 2014 (4/4). Other current Tritons with walk-off hits are Justin Flatt (RBI single in 11th; 4/2/15 vs. CPP) and Gradeigh Sanchez (PH RBI single in ninth; 3/16/14 vs. CSUMB). Ironically, the final score of all four contests was 4-3.

LENGTHY HOMESTAND
UCSD's 13-game homestand from Feb. 6-26 was its third-longest of the Division II era (since 2001), behind two other season-opening stretches of 18 over the entire month of February in the 2010 campaign that ended in Cary, N.C., and a 14-gamer in 2008. It was the eighth homestand of double digits in the Tritons' Division II history. They previously had a trio of 12-gamers in 2004, 2005 and 2011 (season-opening), an 11-gamer to begin 2015, and a 10-gamer to end 2003.

THE NEW TRITON BALLPARK
Triton Ballpark on East Campus at UCSD was given a brand-new look outside the foul lines in 2015. Some of the main features of the extensive renovation include a permanent grandstand to seat just over 500, a press box, new sunken dugouts, an area for food trucks, and restrooms, among several other amenities. Read details here. Perhaps most significant is the addition of the Marye Anne Fox Clubhouse down the right field line, which was introduced to the players on March 17. The official Triton Ballpark re-opening and clubhouse dedication took place on April 10. View photo galleries from the ballpark construction, Opening Day and dedication.

BACK-TO-BACK WEST REGION FINALISTS
UCSD finished in a tie for second in the CCAA with Cal State Monterey Bay in 2015 with a league record of 27-13, qualifying for a second consecutive CCAA Championship before advancing to the final round of the NCAA West Regional for the second year in succession as well. The fifth-seeded Tritons had a 36-21 overall record following a 7-4 loss to CCAA regular-season and tournament champion, top-seeded Cal Poly Pomona, in a riveting West Region final at Mt. SAC in Walnut.

ROSTER REVIEW
UCSD's 40-player 2016 roster features 17 letterwinners, five returning redshirts and 18 newcomers. The Tritons retained six out of nine regular position players and two of four starting pitchers. They lost ace Justin Donatella to professional baseball, and fellow starter Trevor Scott, second baseman Erik Lewis, first baseman Michael Mann, catchers Brian Choi and Brett Levy, and bullpen stalwarts Javier Carrillo, Jr., Dan Kolodin and Chad Rieser to graduation.

Troy Cruz (Chula Vista/Bonita Vista HS) is a 2014 All-American and three-time All-CCAA selection in a utility role who is just making his way back from injury. Senior Gradeigh Sanchez, juniors Jack Larsen, Brandon Shirley and Christian Leung, and redshirt sophomore Justin Flatt should divvy up a bulk of the outfield starts. Junior Tyler Howsley started all 57 games at shortstop a season ago. Redshirt sophomore Steven Coe (Valley Center/Valley Center HS) was the only one of four catchers on the roster with collegiate playing experience heading in. On the mound, senior right-hander Alon Leichman and Cruz made up half of UCSD's 2015 rotation, with the likes of redshirt sophomore John Erhardt and sophomore Jack Rupe, Jr. (San Marcos/Mission Hills HS) still among a stable of young arms.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
UCSD's 2016 schedule consists of 50 regular-season games, including 31 at home within the friendlier-than-ever confines of Triton Ballpark. A season-opening 13-game homestand ran through almost the entire month of February. The Tritons began league play on Feb. 26. They face reigning conference and region champion and unanimous CCAA favorite Cal Poly Pomona in a split-venue, four-game series, this week. UCSD then travels to Chico for the first time since 2013 to take on the archrival Wildcats of Chico State, picked to win the CCAA North, in a three-gamer March 25-26. The CCAA Championship will be held in the neutral-site city of Stockton for the fourth year in a row, returning to Banner Island Ballpark of the minor-league Stockton Ports after being contested at Klein Family Field on the campus of the University of the Pacific last May. The Tritons won their record sixth CCAA tourney title at Banner Island Ballpark when the event was last there in 2014.

RECORD-SETTING PITCHING IN 2015
A stellar 2015 season for the Triton pitching staff saw UCSD break program records for earned-run average (2.84), shutouts (13), strikeouts (469) and strikeouts per nine innings (8.72), while finishing second in ERA in the CCAA and sixth nationally in Division II. The shutout mark ranked third in the country. UCSD has placed among the top three in the CCAA in ERA in three of the past four years. Through 24 games in 2016, the Tritons' ERA stands at 3.51, fourth in the league and 36th nationally.

STRONG FIELDING
UCSD continues a tradition of being strong defensively. The Tritons posted a .970 (1453-577-63) fielding percentage a season ago, rallying after a slow start to rank second in the CCAA, just behind Cal Poly Pomona (.971), and 21st in Division II. They have been in the top 30 nationally and top three in the conference in fielding for each of the past six seasons. In 2014, UCSD was second in the CCAA (behind Chico State) with a .974 clip, and fifth in the country. In 2013, the Tritons were second in the league behind Chico State and 11th nationally (.972). They were 29th in Division II in 2012 (.966) and third in the conference. UCSD led the nation with a Division II- and school-record mark of .984 (1611-673-38) in 2010 and was fifth in 2011 (.972), pacing the CCAA both years. No program in the country has even fielded at a .980 rate since 2010. Through 24 games in 2016, the Tritons' fielding percentage is .969 (623-281-29), up to second in the CCAA and 42nd in the nation.

TRITON NOTES
UCSD is 5-2 in one-run games in 2016 ... The Tritons are 1-2 in extra innings, with a long of 11 in losses at Cal State LA (3/3) and vs. CSUDH (3/11) ... UCSD's largest offensive inning this year has been of five runs, which it has done four times (eighth vs. CSUSB on Feb. 26; fifth at CSUSB on Feb. 27; first at CSULA on March 6; fourth at CSUDH on March 13) ... The biggest inning against the Tritons has been of nine runs, in the eighth vs. CSULA on March 5 ... Prior to Feb. 14 (6-2 vs. No. 10 Cal Poly Pomona), UCSD's previous victory over a top-10-ranked Division II opponent was May 10, 2014, over No. 9 Chico State (10-7) in the final of the CCAA Championship in Stockton ... The Tritons are 4-1 in season openers under Eric Newman and 13-3 since moving to Division II status for 2001 ... Jack Larsen (first team), Troy Cruz (second) and Gradeigh Sanchez (second) were each named on Jan. 25 to NCBWA Preseason All-West Region teams ... UCSD was picked to place second overall and in the South in the 2016 CCAA race by the league's head coaches, as announced on Jan. 28, with reigning regular-season, tournament and West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona the unanimous favorite.

CCAA FORMAT CHANGES
There are several significant changes to the CCAA baseball landscape in 2016. Cal State San Marcos has joined the conference as a 13th member. The addition of the crosstown foe Cougars means 12 league teams in baseball, as Humboldt State does not sponsor the sport. With an even geographical balance of six programs in the north and six in the south, the CCAA has gone to a divisional alignment. As such, the 38-game league slate, down from 40 in 2015, consists of a four-game series within the division, and three-gamers across divisions. That is a departure from all four-game matchups in recent seasons. There is also a change to the CCAA Championship. The conference champion and automatic qualifier into the NCAA Championship will still come from that tournament, and it remains a double-elimination event. It has expanded, however, from four teams to six, with the top three squads in both the North and South divisions gaining the right to participate. Of the five teams in the South with UCSD, CSUSM is not eligible for the CCAA tournament this May.

ROSTER NOTES
UCSD returns five all-conference performers from a year ago in senior All-American and three-time All-CCAA selection Troy Cruz (second team), junior Jack Larsen (first), senior Gradeigh Sanchez (first), redshirt sophomore Justin Flatt (honorable mention) and junior Tyler Howsley (HM) ... Cruz, Larsen and Sanchez also picked up All-West Region accolades in 2015 ... Howsley, Larsen and Sanchez played together at Mission Viejo's Capistrano Valley High School ... All but three players on the 40-man 2016 roster, senior pitcher Alon Leichman (Kibbutz Gezer, Israel), redshirt sophomore Tim White (Stratford, CT) and freshman Nick Balley (Austin, TX), are California natives ... Besides Cruz (Chula Vista/Bonita Vista HS), the six other San Diego products are redshirt sophomore Steven Coe (Valley Center/Valley Center HS), sophomores Tyler Plantier (Poway/Del Norte HS) and Jack Rupe, Jr. (San Marcos/Mission Hills HS), redshirt freshman Cameron Kurz (Encinitas/La Costa Canyon HS), and newcomers Vince Mori (Oceanside/Palomar College/Westview HS) and Griffen Case (Poway/Cathedral Catholic HS) ... Plantier is the son of Phil Plantier, who played eight seasons in Major League Baseball for five franchises, and served as the hitting coach of the hometown San Diego Padres from 2011-14 ... Freshman right-hander Jonah Dipoto is the son of Jerry Dipoto, who pitched eight seasons for three organizations, and is the general manager of the Seattle Mariners ... True freshmen Tyler Durna and Tim Nelson were teammates at Chino Hills' Ayala High School.

HEAD COACH ERIC NEWMAN
Eric Newman is in his fifth season as the UCSD head coach. The 2012 CCAA Coach of the Year has a 150-92 record (106-62 CCAA) in charge of the Tritons and 245-164 overall in his seven-plus seasons as a head coach. He won his 100th CCAA contest at home against Cal State San Bernardino, 9-4, on Feb. 26. Newman guided UCSD to the 2012 CCAA regular-season and tournament titles in his first go-around in La Jolla, and a subsequent trip to the NCAA Division II West Regional. His Tritons won a record sixth conference tourney crown in May of 2014 in Stockton, to again nab the CCAA's automatic bid into the NCAA Championship. With UCSD earning the region's top seed, Triton Ballpark played host to the 2014 NCAA West Regional. Newman has led the Tritons to three CCAA banners and three NCAA postseason berths in his four years, including back-to-back appearances in West Region finals, as well as four plus-.500 and three 30-win campaigns. He previously went 95-72 in three seasons at the helm of Dallas Baptist University from 2005-07. Newman was the fifth-round draft choice of the San Diego Padres out of Texas Tech in 1994, pitching professionally for eight years with four different organizations.

TRITON STAFF
Eric Newman promoted Rob Avila to associate head coach this past off-season, with the Tritons' pitching guru also now in his fifth year at UCSD. J.T. Bloodworth is in his fourth season in the Triton dugout, now in his second year as the program's recruiting coordinator. Newman added Jeff Calhoon and former Triton Tony York to his staff. Calhoon spent the last two years at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, having completed his playing career as the starting catcher at New York's Niagara University. York was a relief pitcher at UCSD from 2011-12, compiling 10 saves. Calhoon coaches third base, while York has taken over in the first-base box.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS
No. 24 Cal Poly Pomona (15-6, 7-3 CCAA) is coming off of a four-game split-venue sweep of Cal State San Marcos, with scores of 17-11, 6-2, 6-5 and 4-0. CPP secured its first CCAA regular-season title (28-12) since 1991 last year, ahead of its first-ever tournament banner. The Broncos then earned the top seed in the West, and thus the right to host the West Regional for the first time since 1985, at Mt. SAC in nearby Walnut. CPP won that tourney as well and ultimately was one of the last three teams left standing (46-17) in Cary, N.C. This year, the Broncos started out 6-1 just like the Tritons, before suffering a 6-2 loss in La Jolla, and began the CCAA slate with a 2-1 series win at SF State and 2-1 series loss at home to Sonoma State. They have a top professional prospect for the second straight year, this time in junior right-hander Ryan Olson (3-0, 1.93 ERA), an Upland native and second-year transfer out of the University of San Diego. Infielder Chris Stratton (.354, 23 R, 12 RBI, 17-20 SB) and pitcher Peter Bayer (1-1, SV, 5.06 ERA, 21.1, 10 H, 12 ER, 14 BB, 43 SO), are two first-year transfers who have excelled. Stratton is out of nearby Palomar College and was teammates there with Triton newcomer Vince Mori, with Stratton the second baseman and Mori primarily at third. Stratton bats leadoff for the Broncos, who lead the league by a rather large margin in stolen bases, as well as in team ERA, the latter for a second straight season (2.69 in 2015). Junior right-hander Michael Koval is coming off of a five-hit shutout in the finale at CSUSM last Sunday, with six shutouts. Randy Betten, the 2015 NCBWA West Region and CCAA Coach of the Year, is in his sixth season in charge at Cal Poly Pomona.

SERIES HISTORY
UCSD leads the all-time series between these teams, 40-29, and holds a 22-15 advantage over the last 37 meetings since 2009. UCSD took the most recent one, 6-2, in non-conference play in La Jolla on Feb. 14, with freshman left-hander Preston Mott tossing five shutout frames in his college debut. CPP went 5-1 against the Tritons in 2015, winning the regular-season set, 3-1, with UCSD only procuring the opener, 4-3, in walk-off fashion in 11. The Broncos then were narrow 2-1 victors in the winner's bracket at the CCAA Championship in Stockton, and 7-4 in a riveting West Region final in Walnut. The two teams played each other six times in 2014 as well, splitting their regular-season series before the Tritons took a pair of postseason matchups at the CCAA tourney and the West Regional. Four of those showdowns were decided in the final inning. Three were of the walk-off variety, with one apiece in Pomona and La Jolla before UCSD earned a 5-4 victory on an RBI double by Nick La Face with two outs in the 11th inning into the left field corner on the second night of the CCAA tournament in Stockton. Of the 12 meetings in 2014 and 2015, five have had one-run margins, with UCSD 3-2 in those games, with three extra-inning affairs and four walk-offs. Prior to 2014, the sides split their four-game sets in 2012 and 2013 as well, with both 3-3 at home and 3-3 on the road. CPP ended UCSD's 2011 season at the West Regional in La Jolla, and the Tritons returned the favor on May 16, 2014, through a 22-hit, 20-5 thumping that saw 2015 second-round draft pick Cody Ponce allow the first eight runs.

MIGHTY 1090 INTERVIEWS
Mighty 1090 AM talent Jordan Carruth is conducting flavorful interviews with UC San Diego student-athletes and coaches on a weekly basis, and they are definitely worth a listen. The station has launched a page dedicated to UCSD athletics, where you can find all of the archived interviews. Here are the links to baseball interviews:
• Coach Newman (2/3/16)
• Plantier (2/18/16)
• Larsen (3/3/16)

GEAR UP
For the latest in Triton athletic gear, make sure to visit ucsdtritonsgear.com. Run by UCSD Athletics' online partner, Advanced-Online, the site provides an on-demand option for Triton athletic apparel and merchandise. Fans have access to over 600 products that can be processed and shipped within 24 hours.

FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are in eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UCSD home athletic events, and much more!

SOCIAL MEDIA (#TritonsRising)
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Triton Baseball on Facebook (Tritonsbaseball)
Triton Baseball on Instagram (@ucsdbaseball)
Triton Baseball on Twitter (@UCSDbsb)
Coach Newman on Twitter (@CoachEricNewman)
Coach Avila on Twitter (@CoachAvi)
Coach Bloodworth on Twitter (@CoachBlood_)
Coach Calhoon Twitter (@CoachCalhoon)

UP NEXT
UCSD will spend its Spring Break by beginning play against the CCAA North Division, traveling to Chico for the first time since 2013 to meet the rival Wildcats of Chico State. As will all cross-divisional sets, this one will also consist of just three games, with a single opener in primetime with first pitch at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 25, at Nettleton Stadium. A doubleheader will wrap things up on Saturday, March 26, beginning at 12 p.m.

#TritonsRising