Coming off a 4-1 loss against nonconference foe Point Loma University on Wednesday, the UCSD baseball team returned home this weekend to face California Collegiate Athletic Association conference leader Chico State University.
The Tritons tried hard Friday night against the Wildcats with seven innings of five-hit ball from Triton senior hurler Keith Smith. However, it was to no avail, as UCSD lost 5-3.
The Tritons also began a disturbing trend Friday, hitting six Wildcat batters with pitches in the first game of the series.
Chico State second baseman Robby Poole was hit three times and scored two runs. Wildcat designated hitter John Moylan drove in two runs, and first baseman Jimmy Lintt went two for three on the day.
Wildcat senior pitcher Adam Montarbo pitched five and two-thirds innings and improved to 7-1, while closer Clark Johnson picked up his first save of the year.
The outfielders did most of the hitting for UCSD: They had five out of the nine Triton hits in the game. Outfielders John Bologna and Matt Smith each had two hits in the loss, while right fielder David Hawk blasted a solo home run, his fourth of the year.
Despite the apparent offensive success, the Wildcats’ three runs in the fifth proved to be too much to overcome.
Saturday’s noon doubleheader did not prove much better for the Tritons.
Chico began the first game just where they had left off the previous night. They scored five runs in the first three innings of the game, including a three-run, four-hit rally in the top of the second.
Triton starter Andy Hanau pitched seven innings, surrendering five runs, 10 hits and two hit batters. Hanau falls to 3-3 with the loss. Bologna had two singles while designated hitter Jeff Riddle notched a single and a double in the second loss to the Wildcats.
The Tritons tried to rally in the eighth as pinch hitter Matt Merrifield knocked a shot to left-center field. This initial kick was useless as the following Triton batter grounded out to end the inning.
Chico State left fielder Steve Newson put on a hitting clinic, going three for five. Newson hit a three-run home run, his fifth dinger of the year, in the top of the eighth to clinch the Wildcats’ victory. Right fielder Brad Walski, designated hitter Rusty Kawachi and catcher Kurt Probasco each had two hits in the first Saturday game.
Behind his team’s 12 hits, Wildcat senior pitcher David Goni went eight innings and improves to 4-0 with the 8-3 win.
Following this nine-inning match up, the Wildcats and Tritons battled for a third time in a scheduled seven-inning game.
UCSD’s woes continued as it put up a goose egg in the runs column of the second game of the afternoon.
Triton starter Alex Cremidan, only going three and one-third innings and allowing five runs on five hits, picks up his second loss of the season and is now 6-2. Raf Bergstrom and Andy Holloway also pitched in the loss.
The Wildcats scored in the third, fourth and seventh innings of the game including four runs in the fourth after two leadoff walks and an error to shut out UCSD at home.
Starting second baseman Merrifield continued to have an outstanding day for the sluggish Tritons, going two-for-two in the second game.
Poor base running and multiple errors proved fatal for UCSD. Wildcat second baseman Poole went three for four, while teammates Walski and center fielder Chris Henry had two hits each.
Chico starter Brian Thomas threw a six-hit shutout in the seven-inning nightcap to give the second-ranked Wildcats the sweep.
The Wildcats increase their lead in the CCAA standings to 22-5.
UCSD dropped back into third place at 18-13 in the CCAA, 23-18-1 overall. The Tritons will attempt to begin a new winning streak when they face Cal State Stanislaus in a four-game road trip next weekend.