Final Stats

Box Score

SAN DIEGO -- A strong start by San Diego's Paul Richan was spoiled by a cold offensive night as the Toreros fell, 6-1, to California in its season-opener Friday night at Fowler Park.

Richen (0-1) was electric in his season debut, holding the Bears (1-0) to one unearned run on five hits and no walks with 12 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. After allowing a single on the first pitch of the game, Richen struck out the next six consecutive batters.

The Toreros (0-1) struggled at the plate and could not figure out Cal starter Jared Horn who held USD to four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Aaron Shortridge came in as relief and picked up the save, tossing 4.0 innings and permitting just one run on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

Cal got on the board in the top of the sixth inning on a RBI-single by Andrew Vaughn but the Toreros were ultimately undone by a tough eighth inning.

The Bears loaded bases with one out in the eighth and drew three walks to bring in a trio of runs. An RBI-single brought in another Cal run and a wild pitch allowed a fifth run to score in the inning as the Bears took a commanding 6-0 lead.

The Toreros got on the board in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI-single by Jay Schuyler that brought in Tora Otsuka but the Toreros could not cut into the deficit any further. USD went down in order in the ninth.

The Toreros will look to bounce back Saturday in a rematch with Cal at 1 p.m. PT.