BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – San Diego split its double-header with Indiana on Saturday at Bart Kaufman Field to open a three-game series.
 
The Toreros (10-4) dropped the early game, 9-2, with Jake Miller getting the start and taking the loss. USD answered with a 6-2 victory in game two, taking down the Hoosiers (8-4) behind another standout performance from Carter Rustad.
 
USD will conclude the series with IU on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. PT.
 
GAME 1 | Indiana 9, San Diego 2
The Toreros struggled to get going at the plate, dropping the first game of the day, 9-2.
 
Adam Lopez led the way, finishing 2-for-4 and scoring a run for USD. Caleb Ricketts went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Shane McGuire drove in the only other run for the Toreros.
 
Jake Miller (1-1) started and took the loss on the mound for San Diego, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing four runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and five walks.
 
USD was first to hang a run on the board, scoring in the first inning. Tora Otsuka came across to score the lone run of the inning for USD on a sac-fly.
 
The Hoosiers answered immediately, scoring in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1. IU added three more runs in the fourth and held a 4-1 lead heading into the seventh.
 
The Toreros were finally able to break through in the top of the inning when Lopez came across to score for USD, which tightened the Hoosiers lead to 4-2.
 
However, San Diego was unable to get any closer, as Indiana added five runs to its tally on the way to a 9-2 final.
 
GAME 2 | San Diego 6, Indiana 2
Freshman Carter Rustad pitched six scoreless innings in the 6-2 victory in game two of Saturday's double-header.
 
Rustad (4-0) started on the mound and picked up the win for USD. The right-hander went 6.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits, allowing one walk and striking out nine.
 
Adam Kerner finished 3-for-4 in the game with a double, a solo home run, a walk and two RBIs to lead the Toreros. Tora Otsuka also contributed for San Diego, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a walk.
 
Both teams were held scoreless early, before the Toreros got on the scoreboard first, starting in the fourth inning.
 
San Diego scored twice, scoring on an IU throwing error and an RBI single from Max Jung-Goldberg to take the 2-0 lead.
 
After allowing a leadoff walk in the first inning, Rustad retired 18 consecutive batters—including a string of five consecutive strikeouts—to hold a near-perfect game through six innings. A leadoff single in the seventh for the Hoosiers broke up Rustad's no-hitter.
 
The Hoosiers scored once in the inning with an RBI double before loading the bases with one out. Kohl Simas picked up back-to-back strikeouts to hold off the Indiana rally and preserve the win for Rustad.
 
The Toreros picked up a run on Kerner's one-out solo home run off of freshman David Platt in the eighth inning, which brought the Toreros lead to 3-1.
 
San Diego kept Indiana without a run before building their lead to 6-1 the following inning.
 
The Toreros notched three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-RBI double from Thomas Luevano. Kerner also plated a run with a bases-loaded single to give USD the healthy lead.
 
Indiana put one more run on the scoreboard before the game was over with a leadoff solo home run in the ninth, but San Diego still coasted to the 6-2 win.
 
The Toreros conclude the series with Indiana at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday at Bart Kaufman Field.
 
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