LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego baseball defeated Nevada, 7-6, on Monday afternoon to close out the early non-conference schedule. The Tritons (13-3) rallied from behind twice and shut out the Wolf Pack (6-8) in the final five innings.
 
Bradlee Preap turned in an exceptional night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and a home run and recording four RBI and two runs scored. Doyle Kane also had a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Colton Lomanto recorded his first collegiate home run, which would turn out to be the eventual game winner.
 
Julian Custer (1-1) earned his first victory out of the bullpen, pitching 3.1 shutout innings and allowing two hits and one walk while striking out one. Izaak Martinez recorded his fourth save of the season, coming on in the ninth to retire the side in order.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
The Tritons were quick to strike in the bottom of the first, hanging three runs on the board. Preap brought in the first run of the inning with an RBI single through the right side and Kane followed immediately with an RBI single of his own. UC San Diego added another run when Hackworth reached on a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.
 
The Wolf Pack responded in the top of the fourth, knocking a two-run homer and a two-RBI double to take the lead, 4-3. Preap tied the game for the Tritons in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer to left field. Nevada responded in the top of the fourth, getting both runs back to retake the lead, 6-5. 
 
Custer came on in relief in the fourth with two on, two outs and two runs already across and the Wolf Pack threatening for more. The freshman right-hander worked 3.1 clean innings to give the Tritons a chance to take the lead.
 
UC San Diego tied the game once again in the bottom of the fourth when Preap drove in his fourth RBI of the contest. An inning later, Lomanto came on as a pinch hitter and put the Tritons on top for good with a solo shot to left field. 
 
The combination of Custer, Landon Marchetti and Donovan Chriss out of the bullpen combined to keep Nevada off the board for the remainder of the contest. Izaak Martinez came on in the ninth and retired the Wolf Pack in order to secure the victory and his fourth save.
 
TRITON TIDBITS 

• Colton Lomanto recorded his first collegiate home run which proved to be the game winner. Bradlee Preap also knocked his first homer of the season.
• Preap matched the Tritons' individual season high with four RBI in the contest.
• With the save, Izaak Martinez now leads the Big West with four this season. He also ranks first in ERA (0.49) and opponent batting average (.102).
• Julian Custer (1-1) earned his first collegiate win in the contest.
• It was the sixth game this season decided by one run. The Tritons are now 3-3 in one-run ballgames.
• The Tritons wore their navy uniforms on Monday evening. 

UP NEXT 
The Tritons will begin Big West play this weekend in Triton Ballpark. UC San Diego will play host to Cal State Fullerton in a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics 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 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.