March 18, 2009
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Behind a strong pitching performance from Darrin Campbell, the University of San Diego baseball team won its fourth consecutive game with a 4-2 win over Columbia University Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference game at Cunningham Stadium.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 12-9 overall, complete a sweep over Columbia and move their winning streak to four games. With the loss, the Lions fall to 1-12 overall.
Campbell (2-3) picked up his second win of the season by allowing one run, on four hits and striking out a career-high eight batters. Kyle Blair picked up his second save of the season, as he allowed one run on one hit in 1.1 innings of work.
The Toreros wasted no time in scoring as they got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning. Sean Nicol led off the inning with a double to right field and moved to third on a Chris Engell ground out to the shortstop. James Meador then drove in Nicol with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to give USD a 1-0 lead.
The Lions then evened the score in the top of the fifth inning on a Nick Cox RBI single, which scored Billy Rumpke, who walked, moving the score to 1-1.
USD responded in their half of the fifth inning by putting up two runs on two hits. Tony Strazzara led off the inning with a single through the left side. Victor Sanchez then popped the ball into shallow centerfield, but the Columbia shortstop called for the ball and dropped it, which allowed Sanchez to safely reach first and Jon Hotta, who was pinch running for Strazzara, to reach second. After Nicol moved each runner up a base on a sacrifice bunt, Engell drove in the two runs with a double down the left field line to give USD a 3-1 lead.
The Toreros then capped their scoring for the day in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hotta led off the inning with a stand-up triple to right centerfield. Two batters later, Engell brought in Hotta with a sacrifice fly to right field to give USD a comfortable 4-1 lead.
The Lions then took back one run in the top of the ninth inning as Alex Aurrichio hit a solo home run over the right centerfield fence to put the game at its final of 4-2.
Offensively for the Toreros, Engell led the way as he went 2-for-3 with one double and three RBI. Strazzara went 2-for-2 and Brian Farris went 2-for-4 as the only other USD players to record multiple hits.
Columbia's Joe Scarlata (0-4) was saddled with the loss for the Lions as he allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits in 8.0 innings of work.
The Toreros will get a well deserved two days off before beginning a four-game series with Brown University this Saturday at 1 p.m. Inside the friendly confines of Cunningham Stadium.
