The UCSD baseball team returned to Triton Baseball Field for a doubleheader Saturday to face Cal Poly Pomona, completing a four-game series.
Guardian
The first two games of the series were played at Scolinos Field at Cal Poly Pomona.
Thursday, UCSD had its five-game winning streak snapped and Keith Smith also had his personal three-game winning streak on the mound snapped in a loss at Pomona in the first game against the Broncos. Triton second baseman Anthony Lococo had two hits for UCSD but that was not enough to boost the Tritons to a victory, as Cal Poly went on to win 2-6.
Smith picked up the loss for UCSD and fell to 4-3. Bronco pitcher Tony Ortiz earned the win and improved to 2-3.
The Tritons regrouped on Friday and beat the Broncos 8-1, scoring all eight runs in the first two innings of the game. UCSD pitcher Andy Hanau, who improved to 2-2 with the victory, threw a six-hit complete game, allowing just two walks and a solo home run in the seventh inning to Bronco Gregor Connors.
UCSD catcher Tyler Sullivan had three hits, including a triple and three RBIs in the game.
In the first game of the doubleheader Saturday, Triton ace John Beaven threw six innings, allowing six hits, one run and four walks while striking out six to improve to 4-1 as UCSD took game one by a score of 8-1.
UCSD scored early in the bottom of the second when third baseman Ryan Larson singled to center field and then scored off a Lococo shot up the middle. Shortstop Keith Hernandez walked and scored the second of two runs in the inning off a double by Triton catcher Matt Kennison.
Cal Poly scored in the top of the first when first baseman Jason Welch singled, driving in right fielder Matt Stevens.
This was Cal Poly’s only run of the game.
The Tritons exploded in the bottom of the sixth, notching four runs in the inning. The big inning began with designated hitter Jeff Riddle smacking a double to right-center field. Bronco pitcher Kevin Waldinger intentionally walked UCSD first baseman Chad Addison, and then Hernandez belted a single on a hit-and-run play and reached second on an overthrow, while Riddle scored and Addison advanced to third.
Second baseman Lococo drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Kennison followed with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Addison. Triton left fielder John Bologna then ripped a shot right at the Bronco shortstop, but the liner was too much to handle, and Bologna reached on the error. Center fielder Smith singled to right and scored Hernandez. Right fielder Sullivan walked, which added another Triton run to the scoreboard.
James Sanders pitched three clean innings to earn his second save for UCSD, and Waldinger fell to 3-2 with the loss.
UCSD attacked the Broncos with aggressive base-running and applied the pressure in all four games of this series, but was unsuccessful a majority of times on Saturday, with one runner thrown out attempting to steal second, and one runner picked off attempting to steal second.
“”We are a very aggressive base-running team,”” said Triton head coach Dan O’Brien. “”As a team, we have a very high stealing percentage, but when you are so aggressive, you must be prepared to be thrown out a few times. When we execute on the base paths, we are normally extremely successful and that is a key factor for us if we want to win games.””
The seven-inning second game began just like the first. The Tritons scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Larson and Addison walked, then Hernandez ripped a double down the left-field line that scored Larson and advanced Addison to third. Lococo grounded out to second base but scored Addison on the play.
The Broncos again scored just one run in this game in the top of the fourth inning after catcher Connors hit a double to right-center field and knocked in shortstop Anthony Gonzales.
It remained a one-run battle until the bottom of the sixth when Matt Smith singled up the middle. Sullivan doubled to right field while Smith advanced to third on the hit. Jeff Riddle singled through the right side and scored Smith. Larson then launched a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Sullivan.
Triton pitcher Alex Cremidan threw six innings, allowing just three hits, one run and four walks while striking out seven Bronco batters to earn the win and improve to 3-1. Robert Peelle struck out the side in the seventh to notch his fourth save of the season for UCSD.
“”The pitching staff made all the difference for us this weekend. They did great job and kept us in the games,”” O’Brien said.
Bronco hurler Andrew Perkins pitched five innings and faced three batters in the sixth.
He picked up the loss and fell to 1-2.
“”This series was really important for our ball club,”” O’Brien said. “”We did not play well in the first game of this series, and to bounce back and play three solid ball games shows the strength and resilience of our team.””
