SAN DIEGO — A monster performance from first baseman Kevin Sim and some late-game heroics from outfielder Angelo Peraza pushed San Diego baseball (3-0, 0-0 WCC) to a wild, walk-off 10-9 win over Nebraska (0-3, 0-0 Big 10) on Sunday afternoon at Fowler Park, erasing an early six-run deficit to take down the Cornhuskers for the third consecutive game.

Peraza, a junior from nearby Chula Vista, California (St. Augustine High School) plated the winning run in the bottom of the ninth by splitting the left-center gap with a sharp RBI single that brought home Sim, also a junior from San Diego, California (Torrey Pines High School).

A HARD-FOUGHT COMEBACK

• After Nebraska struck first with a three-run first inning on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly, Sim provided an instant answer, cutting the Cornhusker lead to just one with a towering two-run shot to deep center field, sending a fastball off the batter's eye to make it 3-2.
• Nebraska responded by plating two more runs in the top of the second on a two-RBI double, then made it 6-2 in its favor an inning later with another RBI double.
• Solo home runs from the Cornhuskers in back-to-back innings (the top of the fourth and fifth) moved the score to 8-2, putting the Toreros behind by six runs before they began to mount their comeback.
• Sophomore shortstop Justin DeCriscio got the effort started with a one-out single in the top of the fifth, which was followed by graduate transfer second baseman James Arakawa (Pacific) being hit by a pitch and a walk drawn by junior centerfielder Dustin Allen.
• After a Nebraska pitching change, junior third baseman Jack Costello drew a bases-loaded free pass, scoring DeCriscio to make it 8-3.
• Sim followed by belting a booming double off of Fowler Park's right-center field fence, clearing the bases as Costello, Allen, and Arakawa scored to cut the deficit to just two at 8-6.
• Peraza was next with a clutch two-out RBI single to left field, bringing in Sim to make it 8-7 after five innings of play.
• After Nebraska scored once on a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the top of the sixth amid rainy conditions, USD continued its comeback in the bottom of the frame, beginning when graduate transfer catcher Andrew Semo (Fordham, The Bishop's School) drew a leadoff walk.
• Staring down an 0-2 count, DeCriscio followed by lacing a double down the left field line that advanced Semo from first to third.
• Arakawa was next with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Semo, and USD was back within one at 9-8.
• Allen then sent a slow ground ball to shortstop, prompting Nebraska's Brice Matthews to fire a throw home as the speedy DeCriscio dashed for the plate. Matthews' relay sailed high and wide while DeCriscio dove headfirst to score the tying run, evening the score at 9-9 on Allen's RBI fielder's choice.
• Still tied at nine heading into the bottom of the ninth, Costello began the frame with a leadoff single, which marked his first hit of the 2023 season.
• Sim followed by reaching on a fielder's choice as Costello was forced out up the middle then advanced on a balk after breaking for second base as Nebraska reliever Michael Garza remained set.
• Peraza then stepped to the plate and delivered the game's deciding blow, a powerful line drive to the left-center field gap that split the Nebraska outfielders and sent Sim home from second to score the winning run, earning San Diego a 10-9 walk-off win over the Cornhuskers that secured USD a series victory in the four-game set.

ROBINSON, FRIZE LOCK IT DOWN ON THE MOUND

• Junior righty Ivran Romero (Poway High School) started the game on the mound for the Toreros and turned in three innings, allowing six earned runs on eight hits while walking a batter and striking out three.
• He was followed out of the bullpen redshirt sophomore righty Chase Minor and freshman right-handers JD Goodcase and Chase Minor, who all surrendered a single run.
• Redshirt senior righty Ryan Robinson entered in the top of the sixth in relief of Michael and set forth San Diego's longest and most dominant outing of the afternoon, tossing three scoreless innings with six strikeouts before handing the ball off to redshirt sophomore right-hander Drake Frize.
• Frize hit the first batter he faced in the top of the ninth but stranded him with a strikeout, a pop-up, and another strikeout, keeping the game tied at 9-9 to set the stage for Peraza's walk-off in the bottom of the frame.

TORERO TIDBITS

• Sim paced the San Diego offense on Sunday, homering for the third consecutive game as he went 3-for-5 with two-run shot, a bases-clearing three-RBI double, five RBIs, and three runs scored.
• Through three games so far in 2023 he is batting .500 (5-for-10) with three homers, a double, eight RBIs, eight runs scored, and two walks.
• Peraza was next with a 2-for-3 performance, driving in a pair (one of which being the winning run in Sim) and alongside a walk.
• His ninth-inning single was the second walk-off of his college career, with the first coming on April 15, 2022 against Loyola Marymount, also a game-winning single at Fowler Park in a day game.
• DeCriscio joined Sim and Peraza in having a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, including the tying run in the top of the sixth.
• Arakawa was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk, Costello was 1-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk.
• Allen walked once, scored once, and drove in the game's tying run in the sixth.
• Robinson has now thrown 4.1 scoreless innings across two outings to begin his 2023 campaign, striking out nine while walking none with a single save to his credit.
• Frize picked up his first career win on Sunday to move to 1-0 in 2023.

UP NEXT
The Toreros will conclude their series against Nebraska tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at Fowler Park in the series finale is set for 12:00 p.m.