FULLERTON, Calif. – After a tough opening series loss, UC San Diego baseball responded with a double header sweep of Cal State Fullerton. The Tritons picked up a 5-2 victory to open the day and closed it out with a 7-5 win. Tritons improve to 14-25 and 11-16 in conference action while the Titans fall to 19-23 and 12-11 in conference action.
 
GAME ONE
The Triton offense struggled in the first half of the game and did not register a hit through four innings. Anthony Lucchetti became the first Triton to get on base with a walk in the top of fourth. In the bottom of the inning, the Titans hit a homerun to get on the board.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Tritons loaded up the bases with two outs. Luke Glascoe came in the game to pinch hit and worked the count for an RBI walk. Michael Fuhrman hit a double down the right field line on a full count to unload the bases and give the Tritons a 4-1 lead.
 
Noah Conlon put together a quality start through four innings. He threw five strikeouts, gave up two runs, six hits and three walks.
 
The Titans loaded the bases up with one out in the bottom of the fifth but the Tritons held the Titans to a Sac Fly and took a 4-2 lead going into the top of the sixth. 
 
Blake Baumgartner opened the sixth with a lead-off double and Everett Lau hit a double to drive Baumgartner in and reclaim the three-run lead.
 
Izaak Martinez, who pitched in relief for Conlon, earned the win after throwing for 3.2 scoreless frames and four strikeouts. Luke Mattson pitched 1.1 innings for the save.
 

GAME TWO
Paul Gozzo reached first on a fielder's choice in the top of the second and Logan White Jr. drove him to third. Gozzo was able to touch home plate thanks to an error from the Titan catcher and give the Tritons the first run of the game.
 
Gozzo got on base again thanks to a fielder's choice and White reached on a hit by pitch in the fourth. Noah Sudyka hit a double to the left field wall to drive both runners in and increase the lead to 3-0.
 
Aren Alvarez pitched well through five innings and kept the Titans off the board. After the Titans scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, Mark Quinby came in the game to pitch. A throwing error and a pair of wild pitches allowed Caden Connor to score and cut the Triton's lead to one.
 
Gozzo hit a three-run homer over the left field fence with one out to put the Tritons up 6-2 in the top of the seventh. Sudyka was walked and Blake FitzGerald hit a double to bring Sudyka in.
 
Ryan Rissas walked a pair in the eighth and loaded up the bases. The Titans hit a Sac fly to get one runner in but and pop fly and a strikeout from Rissas ended the inning and only allowed the Titans to score one. He continued to have control issues in the ninth and three hit three batters to allow another run but was able to work his way out of the jam and throw the final strikeout to end the game.
 
FROM THE COACH
"It's been a long couple days of baseball and for our guys to come out and grind out pitches and at-bats the way they did today was awesome to see," stated Head Coach Eric Newman. "Today's effort on the mound from our guys was incredibly gutsy. From Conlon, Martinez and Mattson in game 1 to Alvarez, Quinby and Rissas to finish Game 2. That was a great fight we put up."

TRITON TIDBITS

• Mattson earned his fourth save of the season in game one.
• Glascoe earned his first start of the season in game two.
• Brandon Stewart has a stolen base in every game so far this series.
• Sudyka registered his first career walk and went 2-for-3 from the plate.
• Rissas earned his first career save and tossed a career high three strikeouts.

 
UP NEXT
The series finale will start at 1:00 pm at Goodwin Field tomorrow. Game will be on Big West TV.

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 37 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.