In the bottom of the third inning, the Pioneers took an early 2-0 lead off with two hits and an error, but their lead was short lived. The top of the fourth saw pinch-hitter Greg Ringold double to left field. Designated hitter Nick LaFace then reached second on an error, which also moved Ringold to third. With men on first and third, Pioneer pitcher Bryce Miller lost a bit of command enough to put it right in the wheelhouse for Seigel, making the game 3-2.
The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, to take back the lead. Ryan Goodbrand, the Triton hurler and NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week, allowed a single, hit Pioneer shortstop Eddie Retagliatta and then threw a pass ball to advance the two Pioneers to third and first. They were batted in on a single to left for a 4-3 Pioneer lead.
In the top of the fifth, junior Danny Susdorf struck out swinging but managed to reach on a catcher’s error. The junior stole second and was then brought home by Ringold, who singled to left.
Tied at 4-4, the Tritons manufactured the winning run by bunting Siegel to third, where he was batted in off Northrop flying out to center field.
UCSD 5, CSU East Bay 6
The first of Saturday’s games went to the Pioneers even though the Tritons took the early lead with a run in the second inning. Shortstop Garret Tuck singled to leftfield to extend his hit streak to 11 games. With two men on base, Michaels then flied out to rightfield for the sacrifice and the first run of the game.
CSU East Bay came back with a one run inning in the third, where they scored off a fielder’s choice.
The Triton bats really came to life in the fifth inning, where the team racked up three runs on just one hit, capitalizing on the Pioneer’s poor pitching and shoddy infield play. Ringold doubled down the left field line to score Susdorf. Ringold would later score on a wild pitch.
The two teams were tied at five runs apiece going into the ninth inning, and were still tied coming out of it, sending the game into extra innings. The Tritons had a good chance to score at the top of the tenth, but left a man on base. The Pioneers shut the door with a run scored off a fielder’s choice to take the game by one run.
UCSD 2, CSU East Bay 3
The Tritons again battled the entire game against a tough Pioneer defense, only to lose the lead to a stellar Pioneer comeback in the sixth inning.
The Tritons manufactured a run in both the first and third innings. Unfortunately, Tuck’s hitting streak finally came to an end as he went 0-for-4, but he did succeed in driving in Susdorf by forcing a fielder’s choice in the third.
Trevor Scott, the Triton starter, was strong through five innings, but started to flag in the sixth, when the the Pioneer bats started to come alive. They took three runs on two hits and left one man on base to go ahead and score the final run in Saturday’s meeting.
Scott falls to 1-2 on the season.
UCSD 4, CSU East Bay 1
Keeping the game scoreless until the fourth inning, Greg Selarz started well for the Tritons, racking up two strikeouts and giving up only one run despite eight Pioneer hits. He moves himself to 2-1 on the season and the Tritons to 6-6 in CCAA play.
Tuck busted out two hits in three at-bats while Susdorf went three for four. Susdorf started the fourth inning rally that resulted in a run by singling to right and scoring on a sac-fly by LaFace.
Leading off the sixth inning, Susdorf again led the Triton offensive with a single to right. Ringold followed with a single up the middle to move Susdorf to third. Reminiscent of the fourth inning, LaFace again flied out to bring Susdorf home. Tuck then doubled to left to move Ringold over to third. They both came in via a Scott Liske single up the middle.
Down by four, the Pioneers couldn’t put together a rally until the seventh inning, where they scored only one run.