UC San Diego Scores Early and Often Against Toros, Win 8-4
Tritons jump out to an early lead and hold on to win second in a row over CSUDH
March 14, 2003

Complete Box Score

CARSON, Calif.--UC San Diego scored four runs in the first and tacked on two more in each of the third and fourth innings to defeat Cal State Dominguez Hills, 8-4, in California Collegiate Athletic Association baseball action Friday at Toro Field.

UC San Diego improves to 16-11 and 12-6 in CCAA play, while the Toros drop to 12-12 and 8-10 in league action.

UC San Diego jumped on Toro starter Rick Moore (3-3) early taking a 4-0 lead in the first on three hits. With the bases loaded and no outs, C Jeff Riddle hit a sacrifice fly for the Tritons first run. A run-scoring single by 3B Keith Albrecht followed one out later by a two-run single through the left side from SS Keith Hernandez made it 4-0.

The Tritons took a 6-0 lead with two more runs in the third on a sacrifice fly by Albrecht and a solo home run off the bat of RF Brett Burton, his third of the season.

CSUDH got on the board in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by CF Mike Milstead (Murrieta, CA) which scored SS Eric Pringle (St. Bernard HS) who had reached earlier on a single.

But UCSD answered in the next inning scoring two more runs in the fourth for an 8-1 lead. With the bases loaded and one out, senior RHP Aldo Silva (Calexico, CA) relieved Moore and got the fielders choice at the plate when Matt Merrifield grounded to third base for the second out of the inning. But Riddle came up and hit a two-run single through the right side to score the runners from second and third.

The Toros got two runs back in the fifth on a run-scoring groundout with a runner on third from DH Jason Flores (St. Paul HS) and an RBI single from 3B Ruben Salazar (St. John Bosco HS). Cal State Dominguez Hills added another run in the seventh on an RBI double in the right-center field gap from 2B David Keesee (Saugus, CA), but that was all the offense the Toros could manage against the Triton pitching the rest of the way.

UC San Diego starter Rafael Bergstrom (3-0) earned his third win of the year pitching the first six innings. Bergstrom allowed four runs on 10 hits while striking out five Toro batters. Relievers Tommy Sereno and James Sanders combined to pitch the final three shutout innings.

DH John Bologna and Hernandez paced the Tritons offense with three hits each. Riddle finished the day with three RBI.

Moore, who was shaky from the start, suffered the loss for the Toros going the first 3.1 innings. The senior right-hander allowed eight runs, only six earned, on seven hits. Silva came on in the fourth and did a nice job tossing 5.2 shutout innings while giving up only three hits.

CSUDH was led at the plate by OF Joe Gevas (Vallejo, CA) and Salazar with three hits apiece. Milstead added two hits on the day in the losing cause.

The four-game series will conclude tomorrow in La Jolla, CA with a doubleheader beginning at noon.