LA JOLLA, Calif. – The final game of the inaugural Division I season for UC San Diego baseball could not have been scripted any better. Down three in the ninth with bases loaded,
Everett Lau stepped up to bat and hit a walk-off grand slam to win game four over CSUN 5-4 and take the series. The Tritons finish the season 24-28 and 21-19 in conference while CSUN finishes 21-19 overall and in conference.
In their first season in the Big West and as a Division I program, the Tritons will finish fourth in the conference.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A walk and a triple opened the game to give CSUN the 1-0 lead with no outs. The Tritons navigated their way out of the inning with a double play and a pop up. CSUN hit three solo home runs between the second and third inning to extend the lead to 4-0
The Tritons finally got on the board when
Tate Soderstrom hit a double and
Blake Baumgartner was able to take advantage of a fielding error from right field to score.
Brandon Weed finished his college career going 6.1 innings on the mound, drawing standing ovation from the crowd as he walked towards the dugout.
CSUN's Blaine Traxel gave the Tritons trouble all day long and struck out 11 batters and limited the Tritons to four hits and two walks through eight innings of work. In the ninth, the Tritons put their first two batters on base and forced a pitching change.
Jackson Kritsch drew a free base with a hit by pitch and Lau provided the story book ending to the game.
INTERVIEW WITH COACH AND LAU
TRITON TIDBITS
- Prior to the start of the game, the Tritons honored their 16 seniors.
- The walk-off marked the second time this season the Tritons have won a game in that fashion. Previously, Baumgartner hit a walk off home run against Santa Clara on March 14.
- Michael Mitchell, who came in to pitch the ninth inning, earned the win and improved his record to 4-1. Jackson Cunningham drew the loss in relief.
- Jo Bynum, who got the start at DH, hit his first double of the season.
UP NEXT
The Tritons conclude their season and will return to practice in the fall for fall ball.
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 accolades, while 38 have received 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.
