Feb. 20, 2010

Box Score

San Diego, Calif.- The 19th-ranked University of San Diego baseball team picked up from where they left off on Friday evening, defeating Indiana University 9-2 in the first game of the double-header on Saturday at Cunningham Stadium.

The Toreros (2-0) were carried by a pitching staff that worked itself out of jams throughout the whole game, forcing the Hoosiers to strand 14 runners on base. Starter Kyle Blair threw just four innings, but put away Indiana with his best material when it counted to strike out eight. The right-hander left eight Indiana batters on base himself, including two consecutive punch-outs in the third to get out of a bases loaded situation. Matt Hauser earned the win in relief of Blair, throwing 4.1 innings while surrendering a lone run in the ninth.

USD's four and five hitters in the lineup, senior right fielder James Meador and sophomore shortstop Bryan Haar, combined to reach base nine times and produce seven of the team's 12 hits. Haar was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate with a double, a walk, and two runs scored. Meader, meanwhile, was 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI, three runs scored, and a walk.

USD broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning, as designated hitter Tony Strazzara drove in a pair with a single to plate Meador and Haar. Third baseman Steven Chatwood walked with a bases loaded free pass three batters later, and center fielder Kevin Muno drove in the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.

After recording one run in the fourth, the Toreros added three more runs in the sixth. Freshman left fielder Kalei Hanawahine, who entered as a pinch hitter in the fourth, drove in his third run of the season with a double down the right field line to score Haar. Chatwood added his second RBI of the game with his own double to bring home Hanawahine.

San Diego will face Indiana in the second game of Saturday's two-game set at 2 p.m.