UC San Diego

IRVINE, Calif. — In its first Big West Championship appearance, UC San Diego baseball finished runner up to Cal Poly after a 4-3 championship final on Sunday afternoon at Anteater Ballpark. The Tritons (27-28) fell behind early 4-0 before rallying to put the tying run on second in the ninth but came up just short to the Mustangs (36-22) for the conference crown. 
 
UC San Diego finished its first Big West Championship with a 3-2 record with a pair of one-run losses, outscoring opponents by a 27-8 margin over the four-day tournament. The Tritons battled all the way back after a first-round loss by winning three straight elimination games to play for the title. Gabe Camacho, Alex Leopard and Nathan Ries were all named to the all-tournament team.
 
In the final, Gabe Camacho reached base three times, drawing two walks and hitting a double while scoring a run. Thomas Maher added two hits and an RBI, also drawing a walk and  Addison Klepsch contributed a double and an RBI. 
 
Trevor Rector (0-4) started for the Tritons, pitching 3.0 innings and allowing one earned run on four hits, while striking out one. Jake Villar followed with 1.1 innings, yielding three earned runs on two hits, including a home run. Julian Cazares provided 2.2 innings of relief without allowing a run, giving up three hits and Devon King closed out the game with a scoreless inning, striking out one and allowing only one hit.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mustangs attacked early with two hits in each of the first two innings but a pair of double plays by the Tritons stalled the momentum. Cal Poly managed only one run across with a two-out RBI single in the second to lead 1-0. 
 
UC San Diego was quiet offensively through the first three innings but looked to get on the board after loading the bases with two outs in the fourth. A groundout ended the inning without a run and kept the slim one-run lead for the Mustangs.
 
Cal Poly extended its lead in the fifth inning after a walk and a single, followed by a three-run home run, making it 4-0. 
 
The Tritons responded in the sixth inning. Camacho hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a throwing error and J.C. Allen brought him home with a RBI groundout. The Tritons loaded the bases once again with two outs and Maher drew a bases-loaded walk, allowing Trevian Martinez to score. A long flyout to center field ended the inning and stranded three runners on base with the score 4-2 in favor of Cal Poly. 
 
UC San Diego's bullpen held the Mustang offense off the board through the final three innings to give the Tritons a chance for the comeback. 
 
In the ninth inning, Maher knocked a one-out single and pinch runner Raphael Dunne advanced to second on a wild pitch. A flyout advanced Dunne to third before Klepsch doubled off the wall in straight away center field, bringing the Tritons within a run. Cal Poly intentionally walked Camacho, bringing Allen to the plate. The Tritons' senior third baseman crushed a first-pitch line drive to left field, but right at the Mustang defense to end the game, 4-3.
 
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
 
 
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 39 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 institutions in NCAA Division I or II.