LONG BEACH, Calif.—In a back-and-forth battle, UC San Diego baseball came away with the series-opening 7-6 victory over Long Beach State on Friday night at Blair Field.
 
The Tritons (10-15, 2-2 Big West) were paced by Michael Fuhrman who went 3-for-5 with a three-run homerun and a double, while Luke Glascoe finished 4-for-5 with a double and three runs scored. Jalen Smith also knocked a two-run homerun—his first of the season—finishing the night 2-for-5.
 
Ethan Holt (1-1) was credited with the win after coming in in the top of the sixth and working 1.1 scoreless innings. Izaak Martinez earned the save, working 2.2 innings and allowing two runs on three hits with six strikeouts, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the contest.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons jumped out to the early lead after Glascoe singled in the top of the third and J. Smith brought them both in with a two-run homer to left field. 
 
The Dirtbags (13-11, 3-4 Big West) answered quickly, putting up three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning with an RBI single and two-RBI triple to take the lead, 3-2.
 
In the next inning, Anthony Lucchetti reached on a fielder's choice that scored Glascoe from third to tie the game at 3-all. However, LBSU got the run back in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead, 4-3.
 
UC San Diego came up big in the top of the seventh, putting four runs on the board to take a 7-4 lead. Austin Smith singled through the left side to score Glascoe again before Fuhrman knocked a three-run homerun to left field to give the Tritons the three run advantage.
 
In the top of the eighth, UC San Diego threatened again, loading the bases with two outs but a strikeout ended the threat and kept it 7-4. Long Beach State took advantage in the bottom of the inning, pulling within one with a two-run homerun. 
 
The Dirtbags threatened one more time in the bottom of the ninth, getting the tying run to second and winning run on first with one out. However, Martinez rung up back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat and secure the series-opening win for the Tritons. 
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Starting pitcher Zach Tonnerre went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.
• Winning pitcher Ethan Holt (1-1) went 1.1 hitless innings with a walk and a strikeout. Izaak Martinez earned the save with 2.2 innings of work, allowing two runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
• Luke Glascoe was a standout in his first full game back from injury, finishing 4-for-5 including a double with three runs scored for the Tritons.
• Michael Fuhrman, Luke Glascoe and Jalen Smith recorded multi-hit games for UC San Diego. 
• Michael Fuhrman, Anthony Lucchetti, Austin Smith and Jalen Smith were credited with RBI in the contest.
• With the win, UC San Diego improved to 2-3 in the all-time series with LBSU and took the 1-0 lead in the season series.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego will face off with Long Beach State in game two of the series, Saturday at 3 p.m. PT. 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.