Baseball Loses 6-5 in Extra Innings to Concordia University

    UCSD conceded an extra-inning 6–5 loss to No. 11 nationally ranked Concordia University last Monday, Jan. 21 in its first exhibition game of the season.

    In the season opener, UCSD head coach Eric Newman didn’t deviate much from last season’s lineup. The only changes seen in the starting lineup was the insertion of redshirt freshman Corbin Wirta at right field in the eighth slot.

    Senior All-American Danny Susdorf went an atypical 1-for-6 in the leadoff spot, while designated hitter junior Justin Rahn had an exceptional day at the plate. The left-hander, who also started three innings for the Tritons, went 3-for-4 and hammered a solo home run in the fourth inning.

    “I really liked the way a couple of our guys swung the bat. [Rahn] in particular, really swung the bat well,” Newman said to the UCSD Athletics Department. “I saw some good things in one inning, offensively, where we strung together a few at-bats and showed we can be a pretty explosive team.”

    Newman used the exhibition to test the new recruits and got some exciting results.

    Junior transfer shortstop Dillon Moyer recorded one run in his three at-bats, while two-way freshman Troy Cruz also went 1-for-3, recording a run and an RBI in his first at-bat.

    Cruz also numbered among a string of underclassmen whom tried their hands at closing, following the solid performance of junior starter Rahn — a southpaw who played exclusively in the outfield last season.

    Sophomore transfer Scott Zeman was sent out in the seventh to relieve senior Richard Kilbury, recording three strikeouts in his five batters faced. Cruz replaced Zeman in the ninth, taking down his three batters in order.

    Junior transfer Jordan Goldsmith did not fare as well in his turn on the mound, walking two batters and letting in the winning run.

    “I thought our pitching was really good. Our bullpen did a great job,” Newman said to the UCSD Athletics Department. We put those guys in some tough situations, where they had to come in with runners in scoring position, and pretty much to a man, they came in and did the job.”

    The No. 23 Tritons have two more exhibition games to work the kinks out before their preseason series against No. 20 Colorado Mesa University.

    UCSD will host Cal State San Marcos this Friday, Jan. 25 and Vanguard University next Tuesday, Jan. 29.

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