STOCKTON, Calif. — In the final road contest for San Diego baseball in 2026, USD and the University of the Pacific finished the game tied 11-11 after eight innings at Klein Family Field due to a mutually agreed upon time constraint associated with the Toreros' travel arrangements.
Despite allowing seven runs in the fifth inning, the Toreros (17-30-1, 9-14-1 WCC) answered back with a six-run seventh inning, highlighted by two-out run-scoring hits from
CJ Moran,
Andrew Gauna and
Phoenix Brant, to retake the lead at 10-7.
After Pacific (22-26-1, 14-9-1 WCC) scored once in the bottom of the seventh, the Toreros got that run back in the eighth with a base hit from
Jayton Greer.
However, the Tigers got three runs to even the score in the bottom of the eighth before the game was called.
For the fifth consecutive game, San Diego got on the board first. A couple of hits and a walk in the second inning set up bases loaded for the leadoff hitter, Moran, who recorded an infield single to the right side, scoring
Diego Gonzalez.
Then Brant, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI Saturday, recorded a run-scoring single, bringing home Gauna, who doubled to lead off the third inning. That gave San Diego a 2-0 lead.
USD doubled its advantage in the fifth when
Jayden Lobliner hit a two-run homer on a deep fly to left field, scoring Gauna for his team-leading ninth home run of the season.
Drake Frize got the start for USD. The graduate student threw four shutout innings before running into some trouble in the fifth.
Aidan Gonzalez and
Fernando Palencia finished the fifth inning for Frize. Palencia then worked a scoreless sixth before combining with
Hayden Cody to wrap the seventh.
In addition, both Cody and
Nate DeSchryver pitched the eighth inning.
NOTABLE
- San Diego recorded its first tied ballgame since the 16-16, seven-inning standstill vs. Nebraska (February 20, 2023) during Opening weekend at Fowler Park.
- The Toreros turned three double plays, defensively, in the third, fourth, and seventh innings. Sunday marked the second straight game and the fourth time this season USD turned three double plays in one game. (Also: March 29 at Pepperdine and May 1 at Portland).
- USD logged 16 hits in the series finale against the Tigers, which are tied for its third-most in a game this season (Also: February 14 at Charlotte and April 10 at San Francisco).
- Moran continues to find ways to get on base, going 3-for-6 with three RBI. With his second-inning single, he has reached base safely in 32 of the last 34 games.
- Moran, who tied a season-high with six at-bats, recorded three RBI, which are the most this season since he posted four in consecutive games against Creighton and San Diego St. (February 20 and 21).
- Despite only logging one official at-bat Saturday because of two sacrifice flies that brought two runs home, Gauna returned to the hit column with a third-inning double.
- Gauna, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, three runs scored and three walks, now ranks third in the WCC in hits (42) during conference play, only trailing Moran (44) and Gonzaga's Mikey Bell (45).
- Lobliner, who finished a triple shy of the cycle Sunday, is now tied for 10th in the WCC with nine home runs.
- Gauna and Lobliner, who both doubled Sunday, remain tied for the team lead with 15 doubles.
- Diego Gonzalez joined Lobliner and Moran with a three-hit game. With his three hits, the freshman recorded his second straight multi-hit game and also brought his season average back over .300 to .301 (34-for-113).
- Greer, who went 1-for-2 and two walks, now has at least one hit in seven of his last eight games.
- Vincent Venverloh, who got the start at third base and homered Saturday, went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
- Brant recorded his second straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with two RBI. During a current six-game hitting streak, Brant is hitting .550 (11-for-20) with five doubles, a walk and three runs scored.
- Gage Mestas walked four times, tying the single-game high this season with Moran, which came February 13 at Charlotte.
- Frize made his sixth start of the season and first since the series finale against then-No. 18 Oregon St. (March 15). On Sunday, he scattered only three hits through the first four innings.
UP NEXT
- San Diego returns home for its final series of 2026 when it hosts Loyola Marymount at Fowler Park. The series begins on Thursday with first pitch between the Toreros and the Lions slated for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
