UCSD traveled to UC Davis last weekend to face the Aggies in the Tritons’ last four-game series of the regular season.

In the first game of the series on Friday, the Tritons squeaked by the Aggies 6-5.

After UC Davis scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Tritons battled back and scored two in the top of the second.

Triton first baseman Chad Addison drew a walk from Aggie pitcher Luke Steidlmayer in the top of the second inning. UCSD third baseman Keith Albrecht singled to left and second baseman Anthony Lococo hit a sacrifice fly and scored Addison. Just after, right fielder David Hawk singled and drove in Albrecht on the play.

UCSD struck again in the fifth. Lococo was hit by a pitch, while Triton shortstop Keith Hernandez singled to left field. With two outs, center fielder Matt Smith singled and scored Lococo. UCSD catcher Tyler Sullivan singled to center, allowing Hernandez to score.

Davis tied the game in the bottom of the seventh at five runs apiece. Aggie first baseman Dennis Flippen tripled to left field and scored third baseman Matt Kamigawachi, who had previously walked. Second baseman Mark Wells singled and scored Flippen to even out the score.

In the eighth, UCSD designated hitter Jeff Riddle singled. Brett Burton pinch-ran and scored what would be the eventual game-winner when Albrecht came through in the clutch and smacked a double down the left-field line to put the Tritons on top 6-5.

For UCSD, James Sanders picked up the win in relief of starter Alexander Cremidan, throwing over two shutout innings and improving to 2-1.

Aggie starting pitcher Steidlmayer falls to 7-4 with the loss.

UC Davis battled back in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against UCSD to even out the series at one apiece.

The Tritons wasted no time scoring a couple of runs in the first two innings of the game.

In the first at-bats for UCSD, Sullivan doubled down the left-field line and proceeded to score when Jeff Riddle ripped a shot to center field. Albrecht singled in the second and later scored an unearned run when Hawk singled through the left side.

Though the Tritons began strongly, their two first-inning runs would be the only they mustered.

UC Davis scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to pull within one, then blew the game wide open in the eighth inning, scoring seven runs on five hits.

Aggie leadoff batter Robby Tulk singled to right field, then shortstop Ryan Coultas doubled to left field and precipitated Triton pitcher Raf Bergstrom’s exit.

Sanders came in to pitch for the Tritons and intentionally walked UC Davis’ Kamigawachi. Flippen then greeted Sanders with a single to second base and scored Tulk. On a wild pitch, Flippen advanced to second and Coultas came into score. Wells then walked, while Aggie designated hitter Matt Blankenheim was hit by a pitch, thereby scoring Kamigawachi. Second baseman Dustin Soderman doubled to right center and drove in Wells and Flippen. Catcher Andrew Reisinger singled through the left side and scored Blankenheim. At the top of the order again, Tulk flied out to center field on a sacrifice fly to score Soderman and give the final score of 8-2.

UCSD’s Raf Bergstrom got the loss and fell to 2-4 while Aggie Julio Marquez pitched a complete game and earned the victory to improve to 5-5 on the season.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Triton ace John Beaven threw an eight-hit complete game in the seven-inning nightcap and struck out six Aggie batters to earn the win and improve to 7-4. After three innings of play, UCSD and UC Davis were tied at two runs apiece, however, Beaven silenced the Aggies after that.

The Tritons proceeded to score a run in the top of the fourth and later added two in the fifth.

In the top of the fourth, UCSD’s catcher Matt Kennison doubled to left field and Hawk walked. Shortstop Hernandez singled through the left side and scored Kennison on the play.

UCSD second baseman Matt Merrifield reached on a throwing error in the top of the fifth. Addison singled through the left side, and then Jeff Riddle reached on another Aggie error, scoring Merrifield. Brett Burton pinch-ran for Jeff Riddle. After UCSD’s Smith reached on a fielder’s choice, Albrecht singled to center field and scored Burton.

Merrifield and Kennison led the Tritons with two hits, while Soderman, Tulk and Coultas again led the Aggies.

UC Davis pitcher Greg Bruso took the 5-2 loss for the Aggies and fell to 9-4 on the year.

UCSD improves to 23-16 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while UC Davis’ record is 24-15. Sunday’s concluding game of the four-game series saw UCSD, UC Davis and Cal State University San Bernardino all eyeing the scoreboard because the three are currently battling for the remaining two spots in the CCAA postseason tournament.