BOX SCORE #15 UC San Diego 3, Sonoma State 0 -- Box Score
LA JOLLA, Calif. – Sonoma State received a tremendous pitching performance from senior
Jayson Richards, but it would not be enough as UC San Diego escaped with a 3-0 win on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA West Regional at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla. Making the first start of his four-year Sonoma State career, Richards kept the Tritons off the scoreboard for six strong innings before the Tritons finally broke through. The loss sends Sonoma State into an elimination game tomorrow at 11:00 am against Dixie State.
The Seawolves fall to 27-17 on the season while the Tritons will move on to the winner's bracket at 36-14 overall.
Both teams had opportunities in the early parts of the game to score a run, but fine pitching and excellent defense from both sides kept it scoreless.
Devin Alexander made a particularly thrilling play for the Seawolves, going completely horizontal in left field to rob a Triton of extra bases.
After getting the first out in the 7
th, Richards walked Jack Larsen before being removed from the game for relief pitcher
Aaron Gillis. Gillis gave up a single to Garrett Tuck, then a crushing two-run triple to left center field off the bat of freshman Brandon Shirley. Erik Lewis would follow with a single to score Shirley, setting the margin at 3-0.
Sonoma State had an opportunity to get those runs back in the top of the eighth, but after finally knocking Trevor Scott out of the game with a pair of base runners,
Jackson Stogner hit into a fielder's choice and
Eric Ehlow flew out to right field.
In the ninth, the Seawolves mounted their most dramatic rally, loading the bases with one out against Triton closer Scott Zeman. However, Zeman got
Dallas Seidel to strike out and
Jourdan Weiks to fly out, ending the game and preserving the shutout.
Richards' final line included 6.1 innings, five hits, one run, and three walks.
Aaron Gillis gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning and
Blake Aldrete pitched a scoreless eighth.
UC San Diego's Trevor Scott went 7.1, allowing just three hits and striking out seven.
The Seawolves had just five hits as a team.
Daniel Caresio and Stogner each reached base twice.
The Tritons got two hits from Brandon Shirley and Erik Lewis. They'll go on to face California Baptist on Friday at 3:00.
