Triton Baseball Holds Off Cal State Dominguez Hills in Opener of CCAA Doubleheader; Second Game Halted by Rain
March 15, 2003

Courtesy UC San Diego Sports Information Office

Complete Box Score

The UC San Diego baseball team scored nine runs in the first two innings to take the first game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader with Cal State Dominguez Hills at Triton Baseball Field Saturday afternoon, 13-9. The victory gave UCSD a three-games-to-none lead in the four-game weekend series after a pair of wins in Carson on Thursday and Friday.

The seven-inning nightcap of Saturday’s twinbill was suspended, however, due to heavy rain. That game will be resumed at a date to be determined, at the start of the top of the second inning, with the visiting Toros holding a 2-0 advantage.

The runs came on a two-out, two-run home run by sophomore catcher Ruben Salazar, his third of the season. In game one, the Tritons jumped out early, as they had with four runs in Friday’s 8-4 victory, this time plating five runs. Junior first baseman Jeff Riddle hit a two-run single while sophomore shortstop Keith Hernandez (Vista/Rancho Buena Vista HS), senior second baseman Nigel Miller and freshman leftfielder Damian Fante each hit safely to bring home single runs. UCSD tacked on four more in the second, Hernandez, Miller and Fante all adding an RBI apiece.

Although the Toros struck for three in the third on a three-run bomb by senior designated hitter Joe Gevas, his eighth of the year, and another in the sixth, UCSD answered with a run in the fourth and three in the sixth. CSUDH tallied five times in the seventh and eighth innings to make it close, but ultimately fell short. Senior James Sanders got the final two Toro batters looking to end the game, with two men on base and the tying run on deck.

Riddle, Hernandez, Miller, Fante, and junior outfielders David Hawk (Ramona/Ramona HS) and Brett Burton each drove in a pair of runs for UCSD, with Riddle scoring three times. In addition to Gevas’ home run for the Toros, senior shortstop David Keesee connected on his third of the season, a two-run blast in the seventh.

Freshman Byron Grubman threw six innings, allowing six hits, four runs, three of them earned, and one walk while striking out six Toro batters in improving to 5-0 on the season.

Ryan Owen (0-2), also a freshman, took the loss for CSUDH, lasting just one-plus inning as the starter.

UCSD’s sixth consecutive win improved its record to 17-11 overall, 13-6 in the CCAA. Cal State Dominguez Hills fell to 12-13 overall, 8-11 in conference play.

The Toros host Azusa Pacific Tuesday in their next game, with first pitch at 2:30 p.m.