SAN DIEGO — San Diego baseball (15-18-1, 8-7 WCC) on Sunday afternoon scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to secure a thrilling walk-off win over Portland (19-16, 9-6 WCC) at Fowler Park, beating the Pilots 7-6 in come-from-behind fashion after Kevin Sim and Jack Gurevitch delivered with the game on the line.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth and the Toreros chasing by a pair of runs, Sim hammered a line-drive double deep into the left-center field gap, plating Angelo Peraza and Justin DeCriscio to knot the score at 6-6.

Gurevitch followed with an opposite-field RBI single, bringing home Sim from second to complete the comeback and earn USD a resilient 7-6 victory in which they led only once.

NEVER OUT OF THE FIGHT

• After Portland struck first in the top of the game's opening inning on a three-run homer, Justin DeCriscio provided an instant answer, driving a solo shot to left field to cut the deficit to two and move the score to 3-1.
• San Diego got back within one in the bottom of the third when Gurevitch made it a 3-2 game by sending an opposite-field RBI double off the left-field wall.
• The Pilots scored three times across the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to take a 6-2 lead into the seventh, but Arakawa struck back with a towering two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning, driving the second pitch he saw to deep left field to make it 6-4.
• Two innings later, DeCriscio got things started with a sharp line-drive single back up the middle with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
• Peraza was next and sent the second pitch of his at-bat the other way for a single of his own, bringing up Sim.
• Sim split the left-center field gap with a booming double, sending home both Peraza and DeCriscio to tie the contest at six.
• After working a 1-2 count, Gurevitch brought Sim home and won the game by shooting an RBI single through the 5.5 hole, earning his team a gritty 7-6 win over the Pilots at Fowler Park.

RENNIE SETTLES IN, ROBINSON TAKES CONTROL

• Garrett Rennie started Sunday afternoon's game on the mound for USD and allowed three earned runs on six hits across four innings of work, walking none alongside a single strikeout.
• He settled in to throw three scoreless frames to conclude his outing after surrendering all three of his earned runs in the top of the first.
• Jack Bunnell was first out of the bullpen in relief of Rennie and gave up two earned runs on four hits across two innings, striking out two against a single walk.
• Bunnell was followed by Ivran Romero, who allowed a single run on a pair of hits across two innings of his own to go with a strikeout.
• Ryan Robinson took over in the top of the ninth and worked around a leadoff double with a pair of strikeouts to keep the USD deficit at just two runs, setting the stage for San Diego's wild walk-off win.

TORERO TIDBITS

• Sunday marked the Toreros' third walk-off win of 2023 and their fifth comeback victory of the season after trailing by three or more runs at Fowler Park.
• DeCriscio paced the USD offense with three hits on Sunday, followed by Peraza, Sim, and Gurevitch, who all notched two.
• Arakawa, Sim, and Gurevitch all recorded two RBIs, while DeCriscio and Peraza led the way with two runs scored apiece.
• Peraza, Gurevitch, and Austin Smith all drew two walks.

UP NEXT
The Toreros will kick-off a five-game week on Tuesday night with a non-conference contest at crosstown rival San Diego State. First pitch at Tony Gwynn Stadium is set for 6:00 p.m.