March 17, 2009
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of San Diego baseball team scored five unanswered runs to cruise its way to its third consecutive win, a 6-2 decision over Columbia University, Tuesday afternoon in a non-conference game at Cunningham Stadium.
The Lions (1-11) got on the scoreboard first by taking advantage of a USD fielding error to score an unearned run and take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
The Toreros (11-9) then answered back in the bottom of the third inning. Sean Nicol led off the inning with a single through the left side and moved to second on a Chris Engell groundout to the shortstop. After James Meador walked, Bryan Haar drove in Nicol with an RBI single centerfield to even the score at 1-1.
The Lions then regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning on an Alex Aurrichio RBI single to score Ron Williams, who had doubled, to give the Lions a brief 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, USD scored three runs on two hits to take control of the momentum. Nicol led off the inning with a single up the middle and stole second. Chris Engell then drove in Nicol with an RBI single to the shortstop. Meador kept things alive when he hit the ball shallow into left field, and two Columbia players hit each other allowing the ball to drop and Meador to reach on the error and move Engell to second base with no outs. After both Engell and Meador advanced one base on a pass ball, Engell would score on a wild pitch to give USD the lead at 3-2. Zach Walters then drove in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center field to cap the scoring for the inning and give USD a 4-2 advantage.
The Toreros would ten put the game out of reach in the bottom of the seventh inning by scoring two hits on two hits. The USD runs came when Haar reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Nicol who had singled. The final run came on a Walters RBI sacrifice bunt, scoring Engell who had singled, to put the game at its final of 6-2.
Offensively for the Toreros, Engell led the way as he went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Nicol also had a solid day at the plate as he went 3-for-5.
Matt Thomson (3-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Toreros, as he allowed two runs, one earned, n seven hits, while striking out six in 7.0 innings of work. Columbia starter Pat Lowery (0-1) was saddled with the loss for the Lions as he allowed four runs, two earned, on six hits in 5.0 innings of work.
USD will return to action on Wednesday as they conclude the three-game series with the Lions at 3 p.m. inside the friendly confines of Cunningham Stadium.
