LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego baseball claimed a second win against Pacific on Saturday afternoon at Triton Ballpark. The Tritons (11-3) defeated the Tigers (2-12) by a score of 9-4 behind home runs from Nick Costello and Noah Sudyka.
 
Zack Ernisse started on the mound for the fourth time this season, throwing three strikeouts while allowing two hits. Anthony Eyanson (3-0) took over midway through the third inning, recording six strikeouts in 5.0 shutout innings of work and allowing just two hits and one walk. Izaak Martinez earned his third save of the season, coming on in a one-run ballgame and retiring all four batters he faced to close out the contest. 
 
Matt Halbach led the way offensively, going 2-for-5 with 3 RBI. Sudyka also racked up three RBI off his homerun. Costello, Michael Crossland, and Patrick Hackworth each recorded two runs apiece. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
Pacific struck in the opening inning, capitalizing on an infield single to go up 1-0.  
 
The Tigers loaded the bases in the third via three walks, prompting Eyanson to the mound. The Tritons paired a double play with Eyanson's first strikeout to escape the inning unscathed. 
 
After three scoreless innings, Costello drew level all by himself in the fourth inning with a rocket over the rightfield wall.  
 

Buh-bye! Solo shot by Costello gets the Tritons on the board!

1-1 bottom 4#GoTritons pic.twitter.com/4K7c0z2s2k

— UC San Diego Baseball (@UCSDbsb) March 9, 2024

 
 
UC San Diego broke away in the fifth inning sparked by a Brock Kleszcz sac-fly to bring in Emiliano Gonzalez. Soon after, Hackworth stole second and third and was joined by Crossland and Costello to load the bases. Halbach then cracked a dribbler up the middle that sent two Tritons home. 
 

Sac fly by Kleszcz plates Gonzalez. Tritons take the lead, 2-1! pic.twitter.com/MAKvDIOWKU

— UC San Diego Baseball (@UCSDbsb) March 9, 2024

 
 
A Pacific pitching change could not slow the Tritons' momentum as Costello crossed home on a Pacific error to create a 5-1 lead heading into the sixth inning. 
 
Pacific rallied in the eighth with a three-run home run over the left field wall to make it 5-4. A double and walk in the following sequences were enough to call on Martinez, who served as closer for the previous day's game.  
 
Sudyka responded in the bottom of the inning, cracking a three-run homer of his own over the right field wall to re-establish the four-run cushion. Crossland crossed home plate next off a fielder's choice to extend it to 9-4. 
 
TRITON TIDBITS 

• This game is the seventh time the Tritons have used four or more pitchers. 
• Nick Costello's home run was his third of the season; Noah Sudyka collected his second home run of the season. 
• The 9-4 score line marks the fifth time the Tritons have beaten their opponent by four or more runs this season.
• The Tritons wore their white pinstripe uniforms on Saturday afternoon. 

UP NEXT 
UC San Diego will complete its weekend series against Pacific on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Triton Ballpark. The game 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.