LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego earned its first home win of the season with a resounding 18-1 victory over Pepperdine Friday night at Triton Ballpark on the first day of the Tony Gwynn Legacy.
Alex Leopard stood out for the Tritons (2-3) with three runs, three hits, three RBIs, two doubles, and a home run.
Noah Lazuka contributed significantly by scoring four runs and adding three hits, including a double, while also drawing two walks.
J.C. Allen had four RBIs from two extra base hits: a double and a home run.
Gabe Camacho was effective with three RBIs, two hits, and a double.
On the mound,
Matthew Dalquist pitched six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out five to secure the win. He struck out five batters, allowed just three hits, and walked only one, throwing 73 pitches – 59 of which were strikes.
Harry Pelzman contributed a solid inning of relief, conceding one hit while striking out one and hitting one batter.
Pepperdine fell to 0-5 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons opened the scoring in the second inning with a solo home run by Hackworth.
In the third inning, Lazuka's disciplined approach at the plate resulted in a walk, and he later scored on a sacrifice fly by Camacho, increasing the lead to 2-0. The fifth inning saw the Tritons capitalizing on the Waves' defensive missteps. A doubled by Leopard and a subsequent error allowed
Michael Crossland to score, followed by an RBI double from Allen, pushing the lead to 4-0. The offensive success continued into the sixth inning with a six-run rally. Notably, Allen hit a three-run homer that highlighted this productive inning, extending the Tritons' advantage to 12-0.
In the seventh inning, the Tritons maintained their offensive momentum.
Anthony Potestio tripled and was brought home by Lazuka's double. Leopard then contributed a two-run homer, adding to the lead with a score of 15-0. The eighth inning featured a continued display of offensive depth, with Hackworth hitting his second home run of the game, and a combination of timely hitting and a defensive error by the Waves led to five more runs, bringing the score to 18-0.
The Tritons' pitching and defense remained effective throughout the game, allowing only one run in the ninth inning from a solo homer by the Waves' Savage.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Hackworth and Allen each hit their first home runs of the season.
- With his two-homer night, Hackworth has six career homers as a Triton.
- Dalquist has now allowed one earned run in 11 innings over his two starts this season.
- UC San Diego's 18-run outburst marked the Tritons' most runs scored in a game since a 20-2 win over UC Riverside last April.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues play in the Tony Gwynn Legacy, hosting California Baptist Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through
Triton Box Office. The game will also air on ESPN+ and KSDT radio, with live stats on 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 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 84 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.
