SAN DIEGO – Fresh off taking two of three at Gonzaga over the weekend to climb into first place of the West Coast Conference standings, capped off by a 15-9 win over the Bulldogs Sunday, San Diego Baseball returned home Monday afternoon to play a non-conference game against UC Santa Barbara at Fowler Park. 

Monday brought the opportunity for head coach Brock Ungricht to put players – and coaches – in new positions. However, the Toreros were unable to continue its magic from the weekend, losing 9-3 against the Gauchos. 

Six of UCSB's nine runs given up by San Diego (17-26, 11-4 West Coast Conference) pitching were unearned, as a result of two Torero errors. 

Cade Martinez, who made his second start of the season at third base, could not catch a pop-up to begin the third inning. That led to a two-run single and a two-run home run, all coming with two outs to begin the scoring. All four runs were unearned while Tristan Lamaison was pitching. 
 
In the eighth, shortstop Ryan Ward committed a throwing error, plating two runs with Jack Giordano pitching. 

Giordano was one of seven pitchers on the hill in the second straight bullpen game for Ungricht. 

AJ Beltre made his first collegiate start on the mound, throwing two scoreless innings, highlighted by a three-pitch second inning. 

USD's first run-scoring hit came in the fifth when Nico Libed recorded a two-RBI double off the left field wall, scoring Martinez and Jack McWilliams to cut the Gauchos' lead in half, 4-2. 
 
Beltre, Lamaison and AJ Frausto each threw two innings. Fernando Palencia worked a scoreless seventh inning, retiring the Gauchos (29-14, 14-11 Big West) in order. 

After Giordano pitched the eighth, McWilliams and Nick Suspenzi combined to work the ninth inning on an afternoon where most of the Toreros starters got a break after a hard-fought weekend. 

NOTABLE

• USD freshmen Jack McWilliams and Vincent Venverloh made their first collegiate starts Monday against the Gauchos. 
• Venverloh went 2-for-3, highlighted by recording his first collegiate hit on a line drive up the middle in the second inning.
• McWilliams, who went 1-for-3, registered a walk in the third inning, marking the first time he has reached base in his collegiate career. He followed that up with his first collegiate hit and run in the fifth. 
• AJ Beltre, who made his first collegiate start, recorded a new career-high, going 2.0 innings pitched. He also cut his earned run average in half from 22.50 to 11.25, keyed by inducing two inning-ending double plays.
• USD associate head coach/pitching coach Matt Florer assumed first base coaching duties for the first time this season.
• Redshirt junior Nick Suspenzi, hitting left-handed, slapped an RBI double down the left field line in his first collegiate plate appearance in the ninth inning.
• Despite allowing the error, Cade Martinez went 2-for-4, marking his second multi-hit performance of the season and his first since February 28 (against CSU Bakersfield)
• The Toreros tied a season-high with three double plays defensively (Also: February 28 vs. CSU Bakersfield)
• Today's attendance at Fowler Park: 253

UP NEXT
The Toreros remain home as they resume West Coast Conference action against San Francisco for a three-game series this weekend at Fowler Park. The first game of the weekend between USD and USF is scheduled for Friday with first pitch beginning at 6 p.m.