jakob christian vs. oregon - credit Khon Saysamongdy
5
Winner Oregon ORE 38-18
4
San Diego USD 40-14
Winner
Oregon ORE
38-18
5
Final
4
San Diego USD
40-14
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Oregon ORE 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 5 10 0
San Diego USD 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 8 1

W: Mercado, Logan (1-1) L: Schapira, Calvin (5-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Xander Brayfield '27 | Media Relations Intern

Christian's Heroics Not Enough in Extra-Innings NCAA Regional Opener

Toreros drop tough 5-4 decision to Oregon in 13 innings at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A game-tying three-run home run from Jakob Christian in the bottom of the eighth inning was nearly enough for San Diego baseball (40-14, 20-4 WCC) to take the first game of the 2024 NCAA Santa Barbara Regional against Oregon (38-18, 23-8 PAC-12), but a go-ahead solo shot from the Ducks in the top of the eleventh inning allowed them to win a nail-biting extra-innings contest by a 5-4 decision at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on Friday afternoon. 

The Ducks had the majority of the momentum in Friday afternoon's contest before Christian boomed a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to knot the game up at 4-4 and push the matchup to extras, where the Toreros eventually dropped a one-run contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • After a slow start, Oregon got on the board first with a solo homer in the fifth inning to take a 1-0 lead. 
  • The Toreros responded in their half of the frame with an RBI single through to left field from Ariel Armas, which plated Will Worthington from second and knotted the game up at one run apiece after the fifth inning of play.  
  • The Ducks added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning with an RBI fielder's choice and an RBI sacrifice bunt, before plating another run in the top of the eighth to take a 4-1 lead. 
  • Angelo Peraza started off the eighth inning by drawing a walk before Ariel Armas followed with a single to put runners on first and second for Jakob Christian.
  • Christian then stepped up to the plate and blasted the second pitch he saw over Caesar Uyesaka Stadium's right-field wall for an opposite-field three-run bomb to tie the game up at 4-4 in the bottom of eighth inning with no outs. 
  • Oregon scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eleventh inning to take a 5-4 lead that it did not relinquish.
 ON THE MOUND
  • Randall got the start on the mound for the Toreros and turned in five solid innings, surrendering three runs on five hits, with six strikeouts and no walks. 
  • Conner Thurman then entered out of the USD bullpen in relief of Ivran Romero, and completed 1.2 frames on the hill, giving up just one run on two hits, and striking out one. 
  • Schapira was then tasked with completing the remainder of the first nine innings on the mound before pitching 1.1 frames in extras. He finished his day with 2.1 innings pitched, allowing one earned run with a strikeout and a walk. 
  • Vaughn Mauterer entered out of the bullpen in relief of Schapira, and finished out the eleventh inning for the Toreros.  
TORERO TIDBITS
  • The two, three, and four hitters for San Diego — Armas, Christian, and Smith — paced the Torero bats, going 2-for-5, 2-for-5, and 2-for-2, respectively, as well as combining to score two runs and earn all of USD's four total RBIs.
  • DeCriscio hit a clutch lead-off double in the bottom of the 11th inning for USD. 
  • Worthington had a hit and drove in a run in Friday's contest. 
  • Christian's clutch eighth-inning longball is his 24th of the year. 
UP NEXT
San Diego will face four-seed Fresno State on Saturday afternoon in an elimination game. First pitch against the Bulldogs at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
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