The No.16 UCSD baseball team dropped a heartbreaker to Cal State San Bernardino, 5-4, in extra innings on April 13, and then proceeded to lose the bookends of a three-game series against the California Collegiate Athletic Association southern division leader Cal Poly Pomona on April 15 and April 16 with scores of 6-3 and 7-5, respectively. The Tritons stole game two, 5-0, over the Broncos in their doubleheader opener, and downed nonconference rival Point Loma Nazarene University on April 19, 8-1.
In the dust:
Pitching and power hitting were the saving graces of UCSD’s most recent victories. In the game-two victory for the Tritons (24-15 overall, 18-13 CCAA) against Cal Poly Pomona (23-16 overall, 19-10 CCAA), UCSD junior hurler Jose Navarro threw a complete game, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. Navarro improves to 3-3 on the season.
In the fourth inning, the Tritons put the game’s first runs on the board. Senior shortstop Keith Hernandez reached on an error and would score from third base on a sacrifice fly from sophomore catcher David Morehead.
With two outs, sophomore designated hitter John Roth and junior outfielder Matt Lawson singled. Senior first baseman Brian Robinson walked to load the bases for senior third baseman Alex Gascon, who sent a deep drive over the centerfielder to clear the bases and give UCSD the 4-0 lead through four innings.
In the sixth inning, Cal Poly Pomona second baseman Matthew Lopez hit a one-out triple to center field. But Navarro battled for the Tritons and produced a ground-out and a strikeout to end the inning and strand the Bronco runner on third as the score remained 4-0 UCSD. The Tritons added an additional run in the bottom of the eighth and shutout the Broncos.
Against Point Loma (28-12), UCSD junior starter Byron Grubman (3-2) pitched six innings, allowing six hits, one run and striking out five. The Triton bullpen of junior Matt Sweany and freshman Adam Butler retired the side in order for the last three innings, not allowing a ball out of the infield.
Offensively for UCSD, Robinson hit a two-run home run to break a 1-1 tie in the fourth. In the Triton eighth, Roth was hit by a pitch and Lawson singled to short to put two on with no outs. Robinson gave UCSD its insurance run with a double to center, scoring senior pinch runner Ryan Langone.
Freshman pinch hitter Jon Alarcon singled to the right side for his first career hit, driving in two RBIs to give the Tritons a 7-1 lead.
Hernandez’s two-out RBI single to center scored Alarcon for the 8-1 advantage and eventual win.
“Obviously, this team has many seniors with college experience,” Triton senior ace Logan Boutilier said. “Take the example of the late-inning games that we’ve played. … We are a lot more mature in those situations. We’ve been there before and we have done it and are victorious. In past years we were falling in those games, and this year we consistently come out more on top. Maturity is a big thing for our team this year.”
It is this maturity that the Tritons must depend upon for their final 13 conference games of the 2005 season.
In addition, pitching has been key for the Tritons this season with Boutilier (8-2) on pace to break the school record for single-season wins of 10, and Lipetz one save away from tying the record of seven.
UCSD baseball faces four road CCAA games this week as it travels to face Cal State Dominguez Hills (20-23 overall, 10-18 CCAA) on April 22 and April 23 and Cal State San Bernardino (21-14 overall, 18-11 CCAA) on April 26.
Cal State Dominguez Hills and UCSD have split two games this season and the Tritons hold a 3-2 overall series advantage over the Coyotes.
UCSD closely trails first place Cal Poly Pomona (23-17 overall, 19-10 CCAA) and second place Cal State San Bernardino (21-14 overall, 18-12 CCAA) in the CCAA South Division standings.
