SAN DIEGO – San Diego Baseball could not get its offense rolling early Saturday night, not being able to muster a hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning. However, a
Nico Libed base hit prompted a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by a go-ahead two-run double from
Jack Gurevitch to propel USD to a 4-2 West Coast Conference win against San Francisco.
It was the bottom of the lineup that set it up for Gurevitch to record the clutch, two-out hit. After Libed got on, Aden Howard followed with a hit by pitch and Connor Meidroth recorded an RBI single to left field to get the Toreros on the board, after trailing 2-0.
After Gurevitch's double, the San Diego bullpen held strong, not allowing a run the rest of the way.
Tristan LaMaison, who allowed a home run in the fifth, worked around a leadoff walk for a scoreless sixth. Fernando Palencia recorded a scoreless seventh, despite allowing a one-out double.
The closer, Austin Smith, took the final two frames. The Toreros senior allowed a one-out walk in the eighth and a one-out single in the ninth before closing the door to give USD (19-26, 13-4 WCC) the series win over San Francisco (20-27, 7-13 WCC).
In the bottom of the eighth, San Diego added some insurance with a sacrifice fly from AJ Beltre, scoring Lane to take a 4-2 lead, giving Smith more room to work with against the Dons.
Porter Rovin got the start for Brock Ungricht and allowed one run one three hits and two walks, while striking out one.
The run Rovin allowed came in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by the Dons, following a triple to begin the game.
NOTABLE
- Rovin made his second collegiate start Saturday and first since March 17 against Columbia. He also logged a new career-high, pitching 4.0 innings.
- The Toreros did not get their first base runner until the third inning when Connor Meidroth walked.
- Austin Smith collected his team-leading fourth save of the season as he registered his fourth scoreless outing in his last five appearances.
- Tristan LaMaison (1-1) earned the win, his first of 2025.
- Fernando Palencia also logged his fourth scoreless outing in his last five appearances.
- With the win, USD records its 12th victory in the last 14 games and takes sole possession of first place in the WCC standings after Gonzaga lost Saturday to LMU.
- The Toreros secured their fifth straight series win in conference play.
- Additionally, San Diego becomes the first team to clinch a spot in the 2025 West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament, scheduled for May 21-24 in Las Vegas.
- San Diego extends its winning streak over San Francisco to nine straight wins, which dates back to May 25, 2022 during the 2022 WCC Tournament.
UP NEXT
The Toreros and the Dons wrap up their three game series Sunday at Fowler Park. First pitch between San Diego and San Francisco is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ as USD looks to secure the sweep.