LOS ANGELES – UC San Diego baseball earned a 6-2 victory over USC in the first ever meeting between the two programs on Tuesday evening at Dedeaux Field.
 
The Tritons (4-1) were led by Marc Filia who finished the day 2-for-3 and two RBI, including a solo home run and two runs scored. Michael Fuhrman tallied his first home run of the season as well, a two-run shot, while Austin Smith and Ryan McNally also knocked in runs for the Tritons. Nolan McCracken (1-0) was credited with the win in his second relief appearance of the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego was held off the board in the first inning for the first time this season, as USC (2-2) retired the Tritons in order. Austin Smith returned the favor, striking out two of the first three batters he faced in his collegiate debut on the mound.
 
The Tritons weren't quiet for long, loading the bases in the top of the second and scoring after McNally was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Smith tallied three more strikeouts in the bottom of the inning and UC San Diego held a 1-0 lead after two.
 
UC San Diego was held hitless until the top of the fourth when Fuhrman sent a two-run homer over the left field wall to make it, 3-0, Tritons. Filia's solo home run in the top of the sixth extended UC San Diego's lead, 4-0.
 
The Trojans answered in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single for their first run of the game and tacked on another in the seventh to make it, 4-2, Tritons. Ryan Rissas then entered out of the bullpen for UC San Diego and retired the next four batters in order in the seventh and eighth innings.
 
The Tritons would add two more insurance runs in the eighth on back-to-back RBI doubles from A. Smith and Filia to secure the 6-2 victory for UC San Diego.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Starting pitcher Austin Smith (Fr., LHP) went 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
• Four Tritons including Marc Filia, Michael Fuhrman, Ryan McNally and Austin Smith tallied RBI in the contest.
• It is the first meeting and first win for UC San Diego over USC.
• The Tritons were held hitless through the fourth inning before Michael Fuhrman's two-run home run.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will return to Triton Ballpark to host Washington for a four-game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. PT. Friday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.