March 31

Cal State L.A. 5,

UC San Diego 4

Starter Tim Shibuya matched his career-high with 11 strikeouts and left-fielder Bauman had 3 RBI, but it was not enough as Cal State Los Angeles battled back from a four-run defect to take the first game of the series.

Shibuya (6-2) took the loss as he struck out 11 and walked none in seven innings, but also allowed 11 hits that led to all five Golden Eagle runs.

The Tritons opened up the scoring with a run in the top of the first, and added three more in the third. But the Golden Eagles added three of their own in the bottom of the inning, and tied the score in the fifth when Shibuya hit a batter with the bases loaded. Cal State L.A.’s Brian Compton doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh.

April 1

Cal State L.A. 7,

UC San Diego 4

The Golden Eagles never trailed en route to sending the Tritons to their third consecutive loss. It was the first time in nearly two years that UCSD lost three straight.

Guido Knudson (3-3) gave up six runs over five innings, including three in the fifth inning that gave the Golden Eagles a comfortable 5-0 lead. Down 7-2 in the ninth, UCSD scored two runs in a two-out rally, but it was far from enough as Cal State L.A. took the second game of the series.

April 2 (Game 1)

UC San Diego 11,

Cal State L.A. 8

Triton center-fielder Danny Susdorf matched a career high with four hits and had 3 RBI, and the Golden Eagles stranded 13 runners as the Tritons held on to a win that saw both teams find success at the plate.

Both starting pitchers hit the showers early, as the bats came alive as soon as the game started. Golden Eagle starter Nathan Pickett lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on six hits. Triton starter Greg Selarz had a slightly better outing, but still only lasted 3 2/3 innings after giving up four runs on 10 hits. Taylor Austin (1-0) got the win for UCSD after giving up one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

The Tritons only had six RBI to show for their 11 runs, as Cal State L. A. committed four errors. First baseman Evan Kehoe added his first home run of the season with a solo shot in the fourth inning.

April 2 (Game 2)

Cal State L.A. 3,

UC San Diego 1

The Golden Eagles earned the series victory in a pitcher’s duel that stood in stark contrast from the offensive fireworks seen in the first game of the doubleheader.

The nightcap was a seven-inning game, and both starters began well with only one hit for either team after three innings. UCSD’s Jeff Rauh (1-2) was saddled with the loss, as he gave up one run in the fourth but had to exit the game after 3 2/3 innings, after getting hit in the arm by a sharp line drive. The Golden Eagles added two more in the fifth with a double and an error by right-fielder Kyle Saul, with both runs charged to reliever Justin Burns.

UCSD got its only run of the game in the sixth with a sacrifice fly by catcher Kellen Lee. The Tritons had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Bauman struck out swinging and Saul was caught trying to steal third to end the game.

The Tritons are now 21-11 overall and 14-10 in the CCAA, dropping them to fourth place in the conference standings.

“There’s no question,” head coach Dan O’Brien said. “It’s always been a strong conference, and this is the strongest I’ve ever seen it. This is the way a conference is supposed to be. The last three or four years, we’ve just been rolling through conference without a whole lot of challenges. But this is the way a conference typically is.”

The Tritons fell to No. 21 in the latest national rankings.

UCSD will now face No. 16 Sonoma State in a four-game series on the road from April 8 to April 10.