June 1, 2008
Box Score
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Junior left-hander Ricardo Pecina dominates on the mound to help propel the University of San Diego baseball team (43-16) to a thrilling 5-1 win over Long Beach State University (38-21) on an elimination game Sunday afternoon at Blair Field.
The Toreros will now play Fresno State at 5 p.m. tonight in another Elimination game at the Long Beach Regional.
Pecina (6-4) picked up the win after having one of his best outings of the season, allowing one run on six hits, while striking out eight in 7.0 innings of work. AJ Griffin recorded is his 14th save of the season, which gave him the new single-season record for saves. Vance Worley (7-4) was saddled with the loss for the Dirtbags as he allowed two runs on 10 hits in 6.0 innings of work.
The Toreros wasted no time in scoring as they pushed across one run on three hits in the first inning. Kevin Muno led off the inning with a bunt infield single, then moved to second on a throwing error by the LBSU first baseman. Two batters later, Sean Nicol rocketed a RBI single to right field to give USD their first run of the game.
San Diego then doubled its lead in the top of the third inning, scoring one run on two hits. Muno got things started with a single up the middle and moved to third on a Josh Romanski single to left field. Nicol then drove in Muno from third on a safety sacrifice bunt down the first baseline to give USD a 2-0 lead.
The Dirtbags then took back one run in the bottom of the third inning on three hits. Jason Tweedy got things started with a single and moved to third on a Jordan Casas double. Jonathan Jones then hit a double down the left field line, which scored Tweedy from third, and Casas attempted to round third and headed for home, only to be thrown out and retire the side, moving the score to 2-1.
The Toreros then broke open the game in the top of the ninth inning, scoring three runs on three hits. Logan Gelbrich led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a Victor Sanchez double down the left field line. With one out, the Dirtbags elected to intentionally walk Romanski to load the bases. Then with two outs, James Meador hit a two-run single to left field to give the Toreros three-run advantage at 4-1. Kevin Hansen ten hit a slow roller to the LBSU shortstop, who in turn overthrew the first baseman, allowing Romanski to score from third and moved Hansen to second and Meador to third and put the game at its final for 5-1.
Offensively for the Toreros, Meador led the way as he went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Muno, Hansen and Romanski all recorded two hits on the day as well.
