Box Score: Sonoma State 4, #6 UC San Diego 0

LA JOLLA, Calif-  Kenny Arnerich grinded out a masterpiece on Thursday, leading Sonoma State to a 4-0 win over top-seeded UC San Diego at the NCAA Division II West Regional at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla.  The victory advances the Seawolves to the winner's bracket, where they will take on Cal Poly Pomona on Friday at 6:00 pm.

Arnerich (8-2) tossed the complete game shutout, allowing seven hits and walked just one while striking out one. He held the sixth-ranked Tritons scoreless for the first time since UCSD lost 7-0 at Cal State Stanislaus on Apr. 5, 2008 -- a streak of 186 games. The last time UC San Diego was shutout on its home field -- a 1-0 loss to Cal State Stanislaus on Apr. 2, 2005.

"We're extremely excited, but it's just one game," Sonoma State head coach John Goelz said. "We came to have a great weekend and we played really well today. Our goals moving forward are to come out with intensity and be equally focused."

Kevin Cramer gave Sonoma State the early 1-0 lead with a solo shot off of UCSD starter and CCAA Co-Pitcher of the Year Tim Shibuya (11-4). The Seawolves then tacked on another run in the second inning off the bat of Garrett Gooselaw, who singled home Kyle Jones.

Up 2-0 in the fourth, Cramer again came up big with a RBI double to right center scoring Cameron Cook with two outs. O'Koyea Dickson followed with a single up the middle that brought Cramer around from second base to score and Sonoma State took the 4-0 advantage.

From then on, it became a pitching standoff between two of the CCAA's best pitchers in Shibuya and Arnerich, as both had pitch counts well into the 100's. Sonoma State never threatened offensively for the rest of the game, but the Tritons would make Arnerich work for the shut out.

Crusing for much of the game, Arnerich finally ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning, loading the bases with one out on a single, a hit batsman and a fielding error. However, Arnerich, who got himself out of jams all evening, and all season long, forced two fly outs to end the game and secure the 4-0 shutout win.

"I'm really happy with my performance," Arnerich said. "I was able to really pound UCSD inside and the change-up was working for me. It feels so great because my CCAA tournament performance last week wasn't very good. The rest of the team was counting on me to start it off and I was able to do that."

Shibuya lost for only the fourth time this season, two of which came at the hands of Sonoma State. He gave up eight hits and two walks in the eight innings he pitched, but struck out 10 Seawolf batters. Elias Tuma came on in the ninth and allowed just one hit.

Sonoma State will face Cal Poly Pomona (34-21) at 6 p.m. on Friday at Triton Ballpark. The winner will advance to the championship game on Saturday. The Broncos defeated Western Oregon in Thursday's other first round game, 10-4. WOU and UCSD will play at 1 p.m. on Friday in a loser-out game.