Jan. 25, 2004

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Torero underclassmen Justin Blaine and Josh Butler, with help from senior closer Tom Caple, combined on a five-hit shutout as San Diego (2-1) defeated Cal Poly SLO 4-0 Sunday afternoon before 838 in Baggett Stadium. Blaine started and allowed three hits through five innings and Caple tossed a perfect ninth to give USD the season opening series for both clubs. The San Diego defense shut out Cal Poly in back-to-back games, the first time that has happened to the Mustangs since the 1995 season.

In the top of the first inning, a bases-loaded hit batsman followed by a bases-loaded walk pushed across the first two runs for San Diego on Sunday. With the score 2-0 in the second inning, Tom Caple had an RBI triple and later scored on Joey Prast's sacrifice fly to center field, giving San Diego a 4-0 lead they would not surrender.

Four Mustang relievers -- Tony Saipe, Andrew McDaniel, Dennis LeDuc and Nolan Moser -- combined to hold the Toreros scoreless the rest of the way.

Caple, who started in center field and finished on the mound, had a single, double and triple in his first three at-bats, driving in one run. First baseman Randy Curtis and second baseman Keoni Ruth each added a pair of hits for the Toreros.

The Blaine, Butler and Caple pitching combination for USD limited Cal Poly to just five hits- all singles by five different players (DH Billy Saul, OF Chalon Tietje, C Cory Taillon, SS Josh Mayo and pinch hitter Brandon Roberts).

The Mustangs' best chance to break through on the scoreboard came in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single by Roberts. But second baseman Adam Leavitt hit a come-backer that resulted in a force play at the plate and third baseman Matt Guiliano struck out to end the inning.

All three games in the series were shutouts. Cal Poly won the opener Friday 3-0 while San Diego recorded a 10-0 victory Saturday.