LAS VEGAS – In a second win-or-go-home situation of the day, No. 1 San Diego Baseball had to endure the nightcap with first pitch beginning at 9:18 p.m. Friday night. The game lasted until 1:09 a.m. Saturday morning as the Toreros came from behind late to win 14-8 against No. 4 LMU at Las Vegas Ballpark in the 2025 WCC Tournament. 

The Toreros trailed 8-4 after allowing a couple of miscues in the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the sixth. 

However, that is when things turned in favor of San Diego, scoring five in the seventh, including Vincent Ververloh recording a two-RBI double to retake the lead at 9-8. In the eighth, USD added three runs, including a couple of RBI walks from Venerloh and AJ Anzai. 

In the final frame, the Toreros got two more runs of insurance on an RBI single from AJ Beltre, scoring Rex Watson as well as an RBI walk from Aden Howard, plating Anzai. 

As USD (27-29) scored 10 unanswered runs, Hayden Cody shut down the Lions' offense, throwing 4.1 innings, which is the most he has pitched in a Toreros uniform. Cody allowed a run in the sixth before firing scoreless frames across the final three innings to defeat LMU (29-29). 

Beltre opened the scoring in the second inning on a wild pitch. That was later followed in the next inning as Watson hit a two-run home run to extend the lead to 3-0. 

LMU answered back in the bottom of the third, recording four consecutive hits, including three extra-base hits with two outs to tie the game. 

However, Anzai took the lead for San Diego right back with a solo home run that landed just right of the batter's eye in center field beyond the pool in the fourth to retake the lead. That was when LMU scored five answered runs across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings combined as Cody came in to close the door. 

Porter Rovin got the start, going the first 4.0 innings. He allowed seven hits, five runs (three earned), no walks, while striking out two. 

Then, David Horn Jr. came in and got the first two outs of the fifth inning before giving way to Cody. 
 
NOTABLE

• Rex Watson went 3-for-3 with three runs and two hit by pitches, while crushing his 12th home run of the season in the third inning on Friday night. 
• AJ Anzai, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two walks, registered his sixth home run of 2025. 
• Anzai was one of four Toreros with multiple hits and one of four Toreros with multiple RBI.   
• Jayden Lobliner went 2-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Vincent Venverloh went 1-for-2 with three RBI, two walks and double. 
• Hayden Cody went 4.1 innings, which is a new season-high. 
• Porter Rovin threw four innings. That marks the fourth time in his last five appearances that he has thrown at least four innings. 
• The seven hit by pitches by Toreros hitters are the most in a game this season, surpassing the two instances USD hitters were hit six times, coming against CSU Bakersfield (February 28) and Pepperdine (March 29) 

  UP NEXT
San Diego moves on to the WCC Championship game for the second straight year as it will face No. 3 Saint Mary's. First pitch between the Toreros and the Gaels is slated for 1 p.m. at Las Vegas Ballpark with the game televised on ESPNU. 

If USD wins, a winner-take-all game will take place approximately 50 minutes after the conclusion of the first game to determine who will win the conference tournament and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The second game would air on ESPN+.