LAKE ELSINORE, Calif.– UC San Diego dropped a 3-2 decision to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon at Lake Elsinore Diamond.
 
The Tritons (6-10) got a strong performance from their bullpen, combining for 7.2 scoreless innings with two hits and six strikeouts. Austin Smith finished 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Michael Fuhrman went 3-for-5 with a run scored as well. Marc Filia and Blake FitzGerald were credited with RBI for the Tritons.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara (10-4) got the scoring started early, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double. The Tritons answered immediately, putting up two runs in the bottom of the inning with RBI singles from Filia and FitzGerald to take the 2-1 lead. 
 
The Gauchos opened the second with a solo home run to tie things up, and took back the lead on an RBI single two batters later to lead 3-2. 
 
Starting pitcher Noah Conlon was credited with all three runs, exiting the game in the second. UC San Diego's bullpen then took over to combine for 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and tallying six strikeouts.
 
The Tritons attempted to rally in the ninth inning, getting the leadoff runner Jalen Smith on base. Fuhrman singled to advance the tying run into scoring position with two outs, but a fielder's choice ended the contest and kept UC San Diego off the board.
 
QUOTABLE
"The game is really testing us right now," said UC San Diego head coach Eric Newman. "To see what kind of fortitude we're going to have to fight through this. If we continue to play like we did today and yesterday, I'm confident that things will turn around.
 
"The bullpen was really good. Every guy that came in competed really well. We've got a lot of good arms down there and we're figuring out who needs to be in the game at the right time."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Starting pitcher Noah Conlon (Gr., RHP) went 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out two. Conlon (1-3) was credited with the loss.
• The bullpen (Holt, Tonnerre, Forcucci and Alvarez) combined for 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and tallying six strikeouts.
• Michael Fuhrman and Austin Smith each recorded three hits in the contest, while Marc Filia and Blake FitzGerald were credited with RBI.
• With the loss, the Tritons move to 1-5 in the all-time series with UC Santa Barbara.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego will return to Triton Ballpark to host a three-game series with UConn March 19-21. The games 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.