LONG BEACH, Calif.—UC San Diego earned its first Big West series win with a 7-4 victory over Long Beach State on Saturday afternoon at Blair Field. The Tritons improved to 2-0 in the weekend series and 3-2 in Big West play.
 
The Tritons (11-15, 3-2 Big West) were led by Noah Sudyka and Marc Filia, who combined for all seven of UC San Diego's RBI. Sudyka finished the day 2-for-3 with two homeruns, two runs scored and four RBI. Filia also hit a two-run homer, going 2-for-3 with a double, a homerun, a run scored and three RBI. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Dirtbags (13-12, 3-5 Big West) jumped out to the early lead after a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the first. 
 
UC San Diego answered right away in the top of the second with a three-run homerun to left-center field by Sudyka that scored Emiliano Gonzalez and Matt Halbach to give the Tritons a 3-1 advantage.
 
Long Beach State got a run back in the third inning to make it 3-2, but the Tritons continued to apply pressure. Sudyka knocked his second homerun of the game in the fourth, a solo shot to left field to make it 4-2. Filia added another run in the fifth on an RBI double and added insurance in the seventh with a two-run homer to make it 7-2.
 
LBSU threatened late, adding a run in the eighth and another run in the ninth. However, the Tritons played sound defense down the stretch, shutting down the rally to take the game, 7-4, and the series.
 
QUOTABLE
"Really liked the way we came out today after last night's emotional win," said UC San Diego head coach Eric Newman. "Proud of our guys' ability to stay hungry to play well today."
 
"Noah [Sudyka] was great for us just by being poised. It didn't go perfectly for us but he stayed in control and didn't let it get away from him."
 
"Guys showed a lot of fight at the plate. We were able to turn a couple of innings around and score by fighting off good pitches, extending at bats and then getting a big swing from Noah and Bubba [Filia]."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Starting pitcher Noah Conlon (3-4) was credited with the win, pitching 5.0 innings and allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
• Marc Filia, Emiliano Gonzalez and Noah Sudyka recorded multi-hit efforts for the Tritons, while Filia and Sudyka combined for all seven RBI.
• With the win, UC San Diego improved to 3-3 in the all-time series with LBSU and took the season series 2-0.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego will look for the sweep on Sunday against Long Beach State, with first pitch scheduled for 1 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.