SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The UC San Diego baseball team dropped their final game of the series against USD, 8-2. The Tritons had several opportunities to score but they were unable to bring runners home that were in scoring position.
 
The Tritons fall to 1-7 while the Toreros improve to 7-3.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Blake Baumgartner got the Tritons on the board first after taking advantage of an error from the Torero shortstop in the top of the first. The Tritons loaded the bases with one out and looked to do more damage, but the next two batters struck out. The Toreros were in the same situation in the bottom of first, but the Tritons held the Toreros to one run to tie the game.
 
Noah Sudyka and Devon Hawks hit back-to-back singles and Hawks stole second to put both runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the fourth. But Luke O'Brien could not bring either of them in and popped the ball to right field to end the inning.
 
Aren Alvarez had a strong outing in just his second career appearance. Alvarez surrendered two hits in 4.1 innings of work. After giving up two hits in the fourth, Alvarez's day was over. The Toreros would register two more hits and score three runs to take a 4-1 lead to close out the inning.
 
Tate Soderstrom popped the ball to right field to bring Baumgartner in with a sacrifice fly, cutting the Toreros' lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth.
 
Aaron Kim was able to get on base with a single to left field in the top of the sixth. Kim was able to position himself to score after advancing all the way to third. The Toreros brought in relief pitcher Kieran Shah and Shah was able to retire the next two batters to end the inning.
 
Through the next three innings, Shah held the Tritons hitless and did not allow a walk or a run.
 
FROM THE COACH
"This was obviously a tough series for us. We didn't really do anything consistently well. Today Alvarez, Mattson and Conlon pitched well enough to keep us in the game but the defense throughout and the last inning were a problem. We need to take to heart from these past two series what it means to play consistently good baseball," stated Head Coach Eric Newman.

TRITON TIDBITS

• Luke O'Brien (3B) and Tyler Weiner both (RF) earned their first career starts. Anthony Lucchetti made his first start at DH this season.
• Lucchetti went 2-for-3 and was hit by a pitch.
• Alvarez was on the hook for the loss.
• The Tritons left eight on base compared to five from the Toreros.
• The Toreros struck out 12 batters with five coming from Shaw.
• Hawks recorded his first stolen base of the season. He also had a team high four assists.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will play their final nonconference series against Santa Clara at Triton Ballpark. The four-game series will take place from March 11-14.

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 began a new era in 2020 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 III and II 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 earned 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.

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.