LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego erased an early three-run deficit to force extra innings, but visiting Utah scored the decisive run in the top of the 11th on the way to a 4-3 victory over the Tritons Friday night at Triton Ballpark. The Utes built a 3-0 lead in the top of the second before the Tritons rallied to tie the score in the eighth.
 
The loss was the second straight for the Tritons (3-2), who committed three errors and allowed three unearned runs.
 
Utah (4-1) has now won four straight.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Utah jumped on the board thanks to a leadoff double to left from Core Jackson. He scored moments later on a throwing error when Kai Johnson singled to third. They added a second run on a sac fly to right by Tyler Quinn. In the second, the Utes plated an unearned run on a throwing error by pitcher Ryan Forcucci.
 
The Tritons got a run back in the bottom of the third. Right fielder Nick Costello drew a one out walk, stole second, and came home on an RBI double to left center from third baseman Matt Halbach. UC San Diego inched closer in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single up the middle from second baseman Benjamin Rosengard, plating Michael Crossland with the Tritons' second run.
 
UC San Diego evened the score in the home half of the eighth. Rosengard led off the frame with a double down the left field line and came around to score two batters later, on a sac fly to center by catcher Emiliano Gonzalez.
 
Meanwhile, on the mound, lefty Izaak Martinez was dealing. Martinez threw six innings of shutout relief, allowing only two hits and walking one, while striking out four Utes.
 
In the top of the 11th, the Utes regained the lead, scoring an unearned run on an RBI groundout. UC San Diego went 1-2-3 in the home half of the 11th.
 
Ryan Rissas (1-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing one unearned run over one inning pitched. Utah's Colter McAnelly (1-0) earned the win, with Micah Ashman picking up his first save.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Making his second start of the season, Ryan Forcucci was charged with three runs (one earned), four hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts over four innings pitched.
• The Tritons competed in their second consecutive extra inning game.
• Friday's contest was the first meeting between UC San Diego and Utah.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues play in the Tony Gwynn Legacy with a doubleheader against Missouri on Saturday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Triton Ballpark. The games can be seen live on ESPN+ with live statistics on UCSDTritons.com. Tickets can be purchased through Triton Box Office.

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 began a new era in 2020 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 earned 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.