FULLERTON, Calif.—UC San Diego baseball defeated Cal State Fullerton with a score of 9-7 in an 11-inning game on Friday at Goodwin Field. The Tritons (10-7, 2-2 Big West) scored on an RBI double by Cooper Thacker to top the Titans (5-12, 0-4 Big West) in the series opener.
 
Noah Lazuka led the Tritons with two hits, scoring one run and driving in another. Michael Crossland scored twice and demonstrated patience at the plate, drawing three walks. Gabe Camacho contributed with a hit and an RBI while getting hit by a pitch. On the mound, Matthew Dalquist pitched five innings, striking out seven batters while allowing four earned runs on eight hits and one walk. Garrett Davidson secured his second win, pitching 1.2 innings without allowing a run and striking out one.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego began the game with a slow start, going three-up, three-down in the first two innings. The Titans took an early lead in the first inning, scoring two runs off a home run. The Tritons responded in the third inning, as Alex Leopard doubled and Emiliano Gonzalez singled to drive in Leopard for the first run. Lazuka later contributed with a single that brought Gonzalez home, tying the game at two.
 
In the sixth inning, the Tritons' offense surged with a five-run performance. The inning featured a series of hits, including a two-RBI double by J.C. Allen, followed by Leopard's two-RBI double, extending the lead. This offensive output put the Tritons ahead with a score of 7-4.
 
Cal State Fullerton tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the seventh and the teams remained knotted into the 11th inning.
 
In the 11th, the Tritons capitalized on a crucial opportunity. Michael Crossland drew a leadoff walk and Jayden Lee singled to put two runners on with two outs. Cooper Thacker doubled to left field to bring in both runs and give the Tritons a 9-7 advantage. The Titans got two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the inning but UC San Diego held on for the victory, finishing with 13 hits and 11 runners left on base.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• It was the first extra-inning game of the season for the Tritons.
• UC San Diego is now 11-3 in the all-time series with Cal State Fullerton.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will continue the series at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
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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 24-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.