FULLERTON, Calif.— UC San Diego baseball fell to Cal State Fullerton, 12-5, on Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field. The Tritons (11-8, 3-3 Big West) finished 2-1 in the weekend series with the Titans (6-13, 1-5 Big West).
 
Michael Crossland led the Tritons offensively, going 3-for-5 including two doubles and a home run, while driving in three runs and scoring twice. Cooper Thacker also knocked a home run in his pinch-hit appearance. Game Camacho and J.C. Allen both finished with two hits in the contest. On the mound, Nathan Ries complete three innings of work, allowing just one earned run while striking out one. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons started strong in the first inning with a hit by pitch allowing Anthony Potestio to reach base. This was followed by a double from Crossland, bringing Potestio home for the first run. Allen further extended the lead by singling to left field, scoring Crossland and giving the Tritons an early 2-0 lead. 
 
The Titans scored two runs in the third to tie the game, 2-2, and took the lead with two more runs in the fifth.
 
In the sixth inning, the Tritons saw a solo home run by Crossland to right field, bringing the score to 4-3 in favor of CSF. Camacho then singled, and although Trevian Martinez was hit by a pitch, the team was unable to capitalize further in the inning.
 
Cal State Fullerton put the game out of reach in the sixth inning, scoring eight runs on nine hits to lead, 12-3.
 
In the ninth inning, the Tritons attempted a comeback with Thacker hitting a home run to center field. Colton Lomanto, pinch-hitting for Potestio, singled to right field, and Crossland doubled to center field, allowing Lomanto to score. This narrowed the deficit, but the Tritons' efforts concluded there.
 
UC San Diego finished the game with five runs on 11 hits and left eight runners on base. Despite the late efforts, CSF maintained their lead with 12 runs on 16 hits.
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will return to Triton Ballpark to play host to Long Beach State for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics 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.