LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego baseball secured a walk off victory over Cal Poly, 16-15, on Sunday afternoon in Triton Ballpark. The Tritons (16-19, 12-6 Big West) recorded 16 hits, including three home runs, while the Mustangs (21-17, 12-6 Big West) tallied 24 hits in the close contest. Both teams scored five runs in the eighth and ninth innings of a game that saw two ties and five lead changes.
 
Nick Costello led the Tritons with four RBI, two runs scored and two hits, including a home run, reaching base all five of his at-bats. Delshaun Lanier hit a home run and collected three RBI, while Gabe Camacho added two hits and three RBI, including the game-winning runs in the ninth. Michael Crossland recorded three hits and two RBI, including a home run of his own. Devon King (3-0) closed out the game on the mound to earn the win, pitching 3.0 innings and striking out two, despite giving up 4 earned runs on 7 hits.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cal Poly started strong in the first inning, scoring three runs with a two-RBI double and a sacrifice fly. UC San Diego responded with a run  in the bottom of the first when Anthony Potestio scored on Camacho's groundout to make it 3-1.
 
The second inning saw Cal Poly extend its lead with two more runs, including an RBI double. The Tritons answered with two runs of their own, highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Lanier and an RBI single from Ryson Ujimori, bringing the score to 5-3 in favor of the Mustangs.
 
In the fourth, Cal Poly hit a two-run homer to build the lead back. UC San Diego countered with a four-run inning, featuring a two-run homer by Lanier and a two-run shot by Crossland, tying the game at 7-7.
 
Cal Poly managed to score two runs in the fifth to regain the lead. The Tritons were held scoreless in their half, bringing the score to 9-7 in favor of the Mustangs.
 
UC San Diego took control in the sixth inning when Trevian Martinez's sacrifice fly and a three-run homer by Costello put the Tritons ahead for the first time, 11-9. 
 
Cal Poly managed a run in the seventh, but UC San Diego maintained its lead, 11-10. The Mustangs took the lead once again in the top of the eighth, scoring two runs on four hits and an error to lead, 12-11. 
 
In the bottom of the inning, UC San Diego responded to retake the lead, 14-12, with a three-run inning. Martinez brought in Camacho with a sacrifice fly and J.C. Allen scored on wild pitch before Costello brought in Alex Leopard via a single to left field.
 
The ninth inning proved decisive. Cal Poly hit a three-run to take the lead briefly, 15-14, but UC San Diego rallied to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning. Raphael Dunne and Potestio scored on Camacho's walk-off single, securing the win for the Tritons.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Michael Crossland (397 ft) recorded his ninth home run of the season, Nick Costello (424 ft) knocked his seventh and Delshaun Lanier (377 ft) hit his second.
• Nick Costello matched his career high with four RBI in the contest.
• Gabe Camacho finished the series 5-for-12 (.417) with four runs, five RBI, two doubles, one home run and 10 total bases. He recorded a .833 slugging percentage and .533 on base percentage.
• Michael Crossland finished the weekend 5-for-12 (.417) with five runs, two homers, three RBI, 11 total bases and a .917 slugging percentage and .500 on base percentage.
• The Tritons recorded 16 hits and left six runners on base, while Cal Poly recorded 24 hits and left 11 runners on base.
• UC San Diego used four pitchers in the contest, including Nic Gregson, Nathan Huy, Julian Cazares and Devon King.
• UC San Diego is now 10-9 in the all-time series with Cal Poly and 1-2 this season.
  • The win moved the Tritons into a three-way tie for first place in the Big West with Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will travel across town for the second meeting with USD on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Fowler Park. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats 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 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 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.