ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – An exciting contest kicked off Sonoma State's four-game set with UC San Diego Friday afternoon, as a pitching duel turned slugfest ended 7-4 in favor of the Tritons.
 
Bryce Nagata got things started for the Seawolves in the top of the first as he drilled a towering shot to left field. At first, the Tritons' RJ Prince began to circle under, appearing ready to make a play, but the left-fielder soon found himself pushed out to the wall where he watched the ball sail out at 345 feet.
 
Seawolf starter Michael Warning took the run and ran with it as the senior right-hander pitched six immaculate innings. Warning, who started the game with a walk, a pair of fly-outs and a grounder contributed four and two-third innings of no-hit ball before having his no-no broken up in the fifth by Keenan Brigman.
 
San Diego's Preston Mott kept the Seawolves off balance as well and settled in for a six-inning performance in which he only allowed one run on six hits, a walk, and struck out seven.
 
Unfortunately, the Tritons broke through in the eighth and captured their first lead of the game with a three-run frame. Following a one-two-three seventh, relief pitcher Nicolas Vega found trouble replicating his success in the eighth. To lead off the inning, Michael Palos walked his way aboard before being lifted for a pinch runner, who then advanced to second on a sac bunt from Shay Whitcomb. Pinch runner Chris Schasteen advanced 90 feet on a passed ball before Tyler Durna hit a one-out RBI double off the wall in right.

A pitching change came as Rory McDaid took over on the mound and the Seawolves looked poised to escape the inning without further damage after erasing the base runner on an attempted steal. However, a two-out walk beget a Zander Clarke plate appearance, in which the right fielder hit a long fly ball over the 362 sign in left.
 
The Tritons pushed their 3-1 lead even further in the ninth, as Alex Eliopulos hit a bases-loaded no-doubter to right, adding four runs on the grand slam.
 
The Seawolves made things interesting in their final ups, as a throwing error and single put two runners on for Jake Sahagian. The pinch hitter came up clutch for Sonoma State, sending a three-run jack over the glove of a jumping Zander Clarke, pulling the home team within three. Unfortunately, the Tritons would limit Sonoma State to the single scoring play in the ninth and set down the next three batters in a row.
 
With the loss, Sonoma State falls to 8-7 and 4-5 in CCAA play prior to tomorrow's double header with UC San Diego. Game one is set to start at 11:00 am.