SAN DIEGO — It's the bottom of the tenth inning. Ballgame's tied at five apiece. The Toreros had rallied from being down five runs early on against the Michigan Wolverines. In stepped CJ Moran at the plate with the winning run standing at third base. An anxious USD dugout was waiting to erupt. The tension was mounting. 

Rewind about 24 hours before the stage was being set, Moran sat down for an interview to discuss a variety of topics. When asked about his excitement on facing a Big Ten Conference team in Michigan, he said:

"For me it's being able to showcase our talent to the world. For me it's a Big Ten team, big time name, and I really wanna let everyone know what we're about — I know how great we are and how great we can be."

He helped accomplish just that. Moran lined a hard-hit, opposite-field single past a diving Brenden Stressler to send the Torero Faithful into a frenzy. As Cade Martinez touched home, the rest of San Diego's squad chased and mobbed Moran in celebration. The word 'euphoric' comes to mind.

Although the Toreros ultimately dropped the next two contests to the Wolverines, Friday night's 6-5 walk-off thriller proved much more than what the next two box scores would show.

Inside Fowler Park, a singular word encapsulates the culture: "Mudita." By definition, it is the practice of finding delight in another person's good fortune, accomplishments, or happiness.
 
The program's core values are built on selflessness. 

"They play together. They believe in one another. They're gonna pick each other up like they did tonight," said head coach Brock Ungricht after the win. "There's no pout, there's no quit, there's no selfishness. That's our process, and I give our guys a lot of credit," he added.

This kind of culture is what drew CJ Moran to the program from the start. The student-athlete, who is a Communication major, transferred from San Diego State to USD this past fall. He credits assistant coach Mitch Holland and Ungricht with making his transfer portal process an easy one. 

"From my first conversation with M.H. [Holland], I just knew it was different. Just the way he talked about baseball. The plan they had for me. The way they did their research," said Moran. "Talking with Two-Five as well [Ungricht], I was like, okay. These coaches care about their players. Every day you're walking in to the building you're saying hello, you're stopping by having a five-minute conversation — you're building these relationships with the coaches that go beyond baseball." 

FINDING SUCCESS

In his freshman season at SDSU, Moran hit .377 with a .943 OPS to go along with 15 doubles, one triple, and 36 RBIs. Since donning the Torero blues, Moran has been a key asset for the program. In just 11 games, the Murrieta, CA native has amassed an .819 OPS with four doubles, one home run, 11 RBIs, and four stolen bases. 

He opened up about some mechanical changes he's worked on with assistant coach Josh Nicoloff. The results are showing. Especially in the power department. 

"In the fall it was very mechanical, very analytical. I had a complete swing change from last year and really tried to tap into more power, tap into using my legs more," Moran shared. "Josh [Nicoloff] has been awesome. He's been my guide. Him and M.H. [Holland] have been really working with me and my swing — I'm the best hitter I've ever been. I feel the best I've ever been, more powerful than I've ever been. Knowing they have a plan for me, I've trusted that plan. Now it's just about going out there, having fun and executing," he added.

EMBRACING AMERICA'S FINEST CITY

Growing up sandwiched between San Diego and Los Angeles, Moran was raised approximately 65 miles northeast of his now current home. Born to Tim and Erin Moran, his parents played baseball and softball at UC Riverside. His brother Cade is a thrower for the Nebraska track and field program, while his other brother, Colby, is an infielder at Hope International University.

It's not difficult to see where Moran gets his athleticism and enthusiasm attitude from.

He finds inspiration and solace in constantly communicating with his family, describing them as his "rock" throughout his collegiate experience.

Moran has learned to embrace San Diego, too. He mentions the neighborhood of Mission Beach as one of his downtime sanctuaries when away from campus, citing the fond memories of bonding with his teammates there last fall.

An avid San Francisco 49ers fan, mainly because of his father, Tim, who is from The Bay Area, Moran has also developed a soft spot for the local San Diego Padres:

"Being in San Diego has made me a fan of the Padres. Being able to go to games with my family, it's right down the street — and nothing beats Petco Park either," he said. 

You might also catch him at The Taco Stand ordering a California burrito if you play your cards right. It's his go-to restaurant.

 "I think I've gone there so many times. I can't even count how many times. I just love the California burrito. They're homemade tortillas. Nothing beats that," Moran said.

CJ Moran may have truly found his fit as a Torero. The on-field culture, bonds, and the sheer fact that a whole city is behind the program really make for an environment you don't take for granted.

Perhaps the rest of the WCC will soon find out.