The four-game series closer between UCSD and Cal State Stanislaus on May 2 secured the Tritons’ 2004 postseason berth. UCSD won the final game, 8-3. The Tritons took the opener of the series, 14-4, and earned an extra-innings victory in game three, 9-7, on a two-run home run by senior designated hitter Jeff Riddle. Cal State Stanislaus took game two, 6-5.
The Tritons are now 35-22 overall and 22-18 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Warriors are 20-35-1 overall and 10-29-1 in the CCAA. Details from game four were unavailable at press time.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, UCSD and San Francisco State University were knotted in fourth place in the CCAA standings. With the top four teams advancing to the playoffs, the Tritons and the Gators both had their sights set on the postseason.
Prior to the final game in the series, UCSD was a half-game ahead of San Francisco State in the CCAA standings. By winning the final game of the season, the Tritons took a one and a half-game lead, making it mathematically impossible for the Gators to catch up, regardless of the outcome of their May 2 game at Grand Canyon in Phoenix. UCSD captures the fourth of four possible CCAA Championship Playoff positions.
In the last home game of the 2004 season, played on April 28, UCSD faced nonconference rival Vanguard University and won in an 8-6 contest. Senior pitcher Nolan Dunkly got his first career start on the mound, tossed five innings, and went on to earn his first collegiate win, giving him a perfect 1-0 record. Dunkly allowed nine hits, three runs—two of which were earned—and one walk while striking out four.
Twenty-four Triton players took part in the Vanguard game and UCSD put up a total of 20 hits on the day. Junior first baseman Brian Robinson, junior leftfielder Ryan Langone, senior centerfielder Brett Burton and junior catcher Matt Anderson each had three hits. Each of Anderson’s hits were doubles. Senior Keith Albrecht and junior shortstop Keith Hernandez each added two runs, while Hernandez tied the single-season hits record with 74.
With the momentum on their side, the Tritons rolled into Turlock, Calif., and trounced Cal State Stanislaus in the series opener, 14-4. UCSD pounded out 21 hits in the game behind a five-run first inning and a six-run fourth inning. Hernandez singled in the top of the first inning, which placed him atop the Triton charts for having the most hits in a single season, with 75.
Offensively for UCSD, Burton went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Riddle went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. Robinson also went 3-for-4 and had two RBI and a run scored. Albrecht had two hits and crossed the plate four times while Hernandez had two hits and two runs scored.
On the mound for the Tritons, sophomore starter Jose Navarro went seven innings to get the win, improving to 5-2 on the season. Navarro gave up just nine hits and four earned runs while striking out six Warrior batters.
The Tritons dropped the opener of the doubleheader on May 1 by a score of 6-5 after leading 5-3 through seven innings. In the nightcap of the doubleheader, UCSD posted a 9-7 come-from-behind victory over the Warriors.
Cal State Stanislaus jumped out to a 5-0 lead through two innings. In the fourth, UCSD trailed 7-3 before rallying. The Tritons put up two runs in the fourth inning with an RBI single by Hernandez and a run-scoring double by Riddle. UCSD added a single run in the following frame on an RBI double by Burton, who scored on Riddle’s double the inning before. Still needing a run to tie the game, UCSD got a leadoff double in the seventh from Robinson. After replacing Robinson as a base runner, Langone advanced to third base on a single by freshman catcher David Morehead. Langone knotted the game when sophomore leftfielder David Gomez grounded into a double play.
The game was tied at the completion of the scheduled seven innings when, after a one-out walk to Hernandez, Riddle hit a line- drive, two-run home run just inside the right-field foul pole. It was his fifth of the season, which ties him for the team lead. Junior reliever Shlomo Lipetz shut the door on the Warriors in the bottom half of the inning, retiring the side in order on three ground balls. Lipetz earned the win in a hugely effective relief performance, improving to a still-perfect 5-0. He replaced sophomore starter Byron Grubman with one out in the third inning and allowed just three hits and one run while striking out a pair over five and two-thirds innings of work.
Burton finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three driven in. Among his three hits, he had a double and his first home run of the year, a two-run shot in the third inning to put the Tritons on the board after Cal State Stanislaus jumped out to an early 5-0 advantage with two runs scored in the first inning and three more in the second. Over his last seven games, Burton’s batting average is an incredible .552 (16-29) and he has posted four doubles, two triples and a home run. Riddle was 2-for-5, also with a double and a home run, a run scored and three RBI. Robinson, Morehead and junior second baseman Ricky Pinocchio produced two hits apiece, with Pinocchio scoring twice. UCSD out-hit the Warriors 14 to 11 in the game.
The Tritons finished with the fifth-best record in the CCAA, but qualify for the playoffs because No. 1 UC Davis is ineligible due to its pending move from Division II to Division I. Sonoma State earned the top playoff spot, second in conference, followed by Chico State and San Bernardino, respectively.
