LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego baseball took both games of a doubleheader against Cal Poly at Baggett Stadium. The Tritons took game one, 12-9, and game two, 6-1. The Tritons are now 6-9 on the season and 3-0 in Big West action, while Cal Poly drops to 11-9 and 3-4 in conference action.
GAME 1
The Tritons' long ball game provided the bulk of the scoring in game one. After Cal Poly scored two runs in the first inning,
Blake Baumgartner launched the ball over the center field fence for a three-run homer.
In the bottom of the third, Tate Samuelson's sacrifice fly tied the game up at 3-3. Baumgartner drove in a runner in the top of the fourth to give the Tritons the lead back.
With a full count in the top of the fifth,
Paul Gozzo hit a three-run no doubter to increase the lead to 7-3. The following inning,
Blake FitzGerald hit a first-pitch solo shot to add to the Tritons' lead.
The Mustangs would not go down easy. Down 11-5 in the bottom of the eighth, the Mustang batters took advantage of poor Triton pitching and added a pair of hits that helped cut the deficit to 11-9.
FitzGerald hit his second home run of the game to give the Tritons an insurance run and a three-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
Michael Mitchell came into the ninth in a save situation and only needed eight pitches to end the inning.
GAME 2
The Tritons loaded up the bases with no outs to open the game, but were only able to bring leadoff hitter
Ryan McNally home to give them the early lead. In the top of the third,
Blake Baumgartner hit a leadoff single into center field and was driven in by
Aaron Kim to put the Tritons up 2-0.
The Mustangs got on the board in the third inning with an RBI single from Brooks Lee.
FitzGerald took a lead-off walk in the fifth and was able to round the bases and score thanks to a double from
Marc Filia. Fuhrman brought in an insurance run when he singled to left field and brought
Brock Kleszcz home to make it a 4-1 lead in the top of the seventh.
Brandon Weed pitched six innings, recorded six strikeouts and gave up one run.
Doubles from
Aaron Kim and Kleszcz drove runners in at the top of the ninth. The 6-1 Triton lead proved too difficult for the Mustangs to come back from.
Izaak Martinez, who pitched in relief for Weed, pitched three scoreless innings to earn a save.
FROM THE COACH
Game one: "Really had to grind all the way through that game," stated Head Coach
Eric Newman. "Offense jumped out early with Gozzo's and Baumgartner's two big swings. We gutted through it on the mound and Mitchell did a great job finishing."
Game two: "This was about
Brandon Weed and some great two-out at bats with guys in scoring position.
Brock Kleszcz had a huge game at the plate along with
Jackson Kritsch and
Michael Fuhrman. Great team win today."
TRITON TIDBITS
- Head Coach Eric Newman earned his 100th win as a Division I Head Coach in game one and picked up his 101st win in game two.
- Baumgartner is now tied for ninth in career HRs with 22.
- Four home runs in a game is the most the Tritons have hit this season.
- The Tritons now have 10+ hits in four-straight games.
UP NEXT
The Tritons look to sweep the series tomorrow at Baggett Stadium. The series finale will be at 1 p.m. and can be streamed on BigWestTV.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
Return To Sport… Safely
In order for UC San Diego scholar-athletes to be permitted to return to training and competition safely and within federal, state, local and university guidelines, the athletic department implemented a number of measures designed to complement and enhance the university's highly-successful Return To Learn program. Notable actions include being physically distanced when practical, including during out-of-season training sessions; wearing masks, except when undergoing physically strenuous exercise; and maintaining proper hygiene. Athletes, coaches and staff are testing at a higher frequency than the campus population, teams adhere to CDC, NCAA and Big West Conference guidelines and department officials participate in regular meetings with conference and university-affiliated physicians and the UC San Diego emergency operations staff.
