SAN DIEGO — An electrifying two-way performance from Austin Smith on Saturday evening lifted San Diego baseball (4-2, 0-0 WCC) to a series-clinching comeback win over Arizona at Fowler Park, earning the Toreros a third consecutive victory as they took down the Wildcats (3-3, 0-0 Pac-12) by a 6-4 margin.

Smith, an El Cajon, California native who attended Granite Hills High School and transferred to USD from UC San Diego last season, hammered a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to give his team a late lead before completing a four-out save on the mound.

SLAM DIEGO TOREROS

• Arizona struck first for three runs in the top of the second on an RBI single and a two-run San Diego error.
• Smith immediately answered back in the bottom of the frame with an opposite-field solo shot, sending the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for the Toreros' first home run at Fowler Park in 2024.
• The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth, when USD loaded the bases on a pair of singles from Angelo Peraza and Jack Gurevitch, and a textbook bunt single  from Jack Costello.
• Smith then stepped up to the plate and delivered a sacrifice lineout to left field to pull the Toreros within one at 3-2. 
• Dustin Allen started off the Toreros' seventh inning with a walk, before he was advanced to second on a single through to the right side by Peraza. Gurevitch was then hit by a pitch to load up the bases.
• Smith was up next, and was down to his last strike before he turned on a high fastball, sending a soaring line drive over Fowler Park's right field wall for a go-ahead grand slam to put his team ahead by a 6-3 margin.
• The Wildcats responded with a run in the eighth inning but got no closer, ending Saturday night's matchup with a final score of 6-4 in favor of the home team. 

HE CAN PITCH TOO

• Logan Reddemann started the game off on the mound for the Toreros, and surrendered three runs in the top of the second (two earned), but allowed nothing else after three innings of work. 
• He then made way for Vaughn Mauterer, who tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, while striking out five, and walking none.
• Drake Frize entered out of the bullpen in the eighth and turned in 1.2 frames, surrendering one run.
• An inning after giving his team the lead with a grand slam, Smith made his way to the mound from left field to complete a four-out save, allowing no earned runs, tallying four strikeouts, and walking just one.

TORERO TIDBITS

• For the second night in a row, the Torero pitching staff tallied 19 combined strikeouts, a mark that was not recorded as a team in a single game since March 16, 2008, when Kyle Blair and Scott Denault teamed up to record 16 in a 15-0 win at the University of Hawaii Hilo.
• Friday evening's win was not the first time Smith has recorded a grand slam and pitched for his team in the same game; he also did so against Pepperdine on April 1st, 2023, when he recorded a go-ahead grand slam also in the bottom of the seventh and completed 3.2 scoreless innings on the mound. 
• Peraza went 3-for-4 from the plate, and brought in two runs in Saturday night's win.
• Mauterer threw three scoreless innings from the bullpen on Saturday evening, racking up five strikeouts while giving up just one hit.
• Allen, Gurevitch, D'Arcy, and Will Worthington each drew one walk. 

UP NEXT
The Toreros will look for the series sweep over the Wildcats tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at Fowler Park is set for 1:05 p.m.