SAN DIEGO — After finding itself down 3-0 following the first inning, a trio of solo homers in the fourth inning combined with three dynamic pitching performances carried San Diego baseball (28-12, 12-4 WCC) to a scrappy comeback victory over first-place Gonzaga (17-21, 12-4 WCC) on Friday night, beating the Bulldogs by a 5-4 margin in game one of a pivotal WCC series at Fowler Park.

The Zags struck for three unearned runs in the first inning before starting pitcher Josh Randall settled in to allow just one run across his next four frames, setting the stage for Jack Costello, Justin DeCriscio, and Ariel Armas to strike for three solo shots in the fourth inning that tied the game at 3-3.

Randall's performance on the mound was backed up by a pair of flawless bullpen performances from Ivran Romero and Conner Thurman, who held Gonzaga scoreless across the contest's final four innings.

After scoring from second on a throwing error to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth, DeCriscio broke the deadlock and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth when he sprinted home from first on a grounder that skipped past Gonzaga's shortstop into center field. 

THREE BIG SWINGS

• Gonzaga struck for three unearned runs in the first inning to take an early 3-0 advantage. 
• Costello, DeCriscio, and Armas responded in the fourth, when they each struck for solo home runs to left field to knot the game up at 3-3.
• The Bulldogs regained a one-run advantage in the top of the fifth with a solo homer of their own before USD tied the game up once more in the bottom of the sixth, pulling even with the Zags when a throwing error on a would-be double-play ball allowed DeCriscio to score from second and make it 4-4.
• USD and GU remained tied until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Armas sent a sharp ground ball past the Gonzaga shortstop that allowed DeCriscio to score from first, evading a high throw and subsequent tag on the play at the plate to make it 5-4 in the Toreros' favor. 

PERFECTION FROM THE 'PEN

• Randall got the start on the mound for the Toreros, and allowed four runs (one earned) through five frames on the mound, striking out eight and walking three. 
• Romero was first out of the bullpen in relief of Randall and turned in three perfect innings,  striking out five and walking none. 
• Thurman threw a scoreless, 1-2-3 ninth to seal the win for USD.

TORERO TIDBITS

• DeCriscio's fourth inning solo shot gave him home runs in back-to-back games for the first time in his college career.
• Though the top four of the USD batting order was a combined 1-for-15 from the plate on Friday, San Diego's bottom five hitters combined to go 8-for-19 with a double, three home runs, and each of the team's three total RBIs. 
• Costello's fourth inning solo-shot is his seventh homer of the season, tying him for second place on the USD roster with Austin Smith.  Jakob Christian leads the Toreros with 19 in 2024. 
• DeCriscio was a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate, with an RBI and three of his teams' five total runs scored. 
• Romero picked up the win on the mound for USD, moving his 2024 record to a team-best 6-1. 
• Thurman earned his third save of the season in Friday night's victory, tying Austin Smith for the USD lead.
• Randall, Romero, and Thurman combined to strike out 14 total batters.
• Armas' fourth-inning home run is his fourth of the season, and the seventh of his career. 

UP NEXT
The Toreros are back in action tomorrow evening, when they return to Fowler Park for game two of their series with Gonzaga. First pitch against the Bulldogs is set for 5:05 p.m.