April 15
UC San Diego 4,
Cal State Stanislaus 2
The Tritons tallied just six hits, though that proved just enough, as ace Tim Shibuya (7-3) carried the team and became UCSD’s all-time strikeout leader.
Shibuya pitched seven and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs on eight hits while walking none. The senior also fanned four, giving him 71 on the season and 286 for his career to surpass Rick Nowak’s total of 283 from 1986 to 1988.
Shibuya got a little help from the bullpen to get the win, as he left the game with two on and two out in the eighth inning. Junior Elias Tuma got out of the jam and finished out the ninth — getting a strikeout for every one of his outs — to get his fifth save of the season.
April 16 (Game 1)
UC San Diego 2,
Cal State Stanislaus 1
Freshman Scott Liske scored on a wild pitch with one out in the bottom of the ninth, as the Tritons eked out a win in the first game of the doubleheader.
Senior Guido Knudson (5-3) pitched a complete game gem, giving up one run on eight hits while striking out eight batters and walking none. But the Tritons couldn’t give him the win until the last inning, as the Tritons needed a late rally.
Tied 1-1 in the ninth inning, freshman Nick La Face singled with one out to put a man on. Liske pinch ran for La Face, and senior Aaron Bauman lifted a ball deep fly ball to centerfield that should have been caught, but an error moved the runners to second and third. With senior Nick Hom at the plate, Cal State Stanislaus pitcher Vinny Pacchetti threw a pitch in the dirt that got past the catcher, and Liske came in to score.
Stanislaus had four errors in the game, but UCSD could only capitalize on the dropped fly ball in the ninth.
April 16 (Game 2)
UC San Diego 2,
Cal State Stanislaus 1
UCSD squeaked by Cal State Stanislaus with a run in the bottom of the sixth to take the back end of the doubleheader in a seven-inning game.
Tied 1-1 in the sixth, back-to-back doubles by senior Blake Tagmyer and freshman Nick La Face brought in a run to give the Tritons the lead. The Triton pitching was brilliant all game and held in the final inning, handing UCSD the win.
La Face went two-for-three in the game with two doubles and an RBI.
Senior Triton starter Taylor Austin went five and one-third innings, giving up all six of the Warriors’ hits and yielding one run. Juniors Tony York (2-0) and Elias Tuma (S, 6) allowed just one base runner for the remainder of the game.
April 16
UC San Diego 18,
Cal State Stanislaus 1
Evan Kehoe went three-for-five with four RBI, seven Tritons had multiple hits and UCSD dismantled Stanislaus to take the four-game sweep.
The Tritons had five doubles and two home runs, with one from Kehoe and a solo shot from Aaron Bauman. UCSD tallied 18 hits in the game, a season-high to go with the season-high in runs. Matt Hubbard went three-for-four with 2 RBI. UCSD also scored five unearned runs thanks to four Stanislaus errors.
Jeff Ruah (2-2) gave up three hits and a run in five innings to pick up the win. The Triton bullpen pitched the remaining four innings without allowing a base runner.
The Tritons are now 28-12 overall and 21-11 in the CCAA, and moved to second place in the conference standings after the series.
UCSD will now face Academy of Art in a pair of home games on April 22 and April 23.
Readers can contact Liam Rose at [email protected].
