PORTLAND, Ore. — After scoring five of its six runs after the seventh Thursday in the series opener at Portland, San Diego baseball continued that trend Friday at Joe Etzel Field.
The Toreros scored seven of their eight runs in the final three innings to claim an 8-4 victory over the Pilots.
USD (17-26, 9-11 WCC) scored three times in the seventh to take its first lead of the evening and four runs in the eighth to take a five-run lead over the Pilots (24-19, 10-10 WCC).
Drake Frize then got the final six outs, including a game-ending double play to help USD even the series.
In the eighth,
Gage Mestas and
Andrew Gauna both recorded two-RBI singles. Mestas brought home
Connor Meidroth and
Aden Howard, the latter of whom pinch ran for
Tanner Kern. Gauna scored Mestas and
CJ Moran to cap off the four-run inning.
One inning before, San Diego took the lead on a single by Moran that scored
Jayden Lobliner, who led off the inning with a hit by pitch.
Then, Mestas played some "San Diego baseball" by dropping down a bunt. With Mestas' speed, he forced the Pilots' pitcher to throw the ball away, leading to Meidroth scoring from second base on the play.
Gauna punctuated the inning with an RBI single, plating Moran, who logged another three-hit game in the lead off spot.
Before San Diego found its offense late,
Diego Gutierrez got back to his old self, throwing six innings of one-run ball while walking three and striking out seven.
Nate DeSchryver was able to hold the Toreros' lead in the seventh before Frize finished the game.
Although Gutierrez gave up a first-inning run, San Diego got the equalizer on Moran's second hit of the evening, scoring Lobliner.
NOTABLE
- San Diego scored its 300th run of the season in the eighth inning by Howard.
- Moran, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, continued his torrid stretch with his third straight three-hit game.
- The sophomore also has reached base safely in 27 of his last 29 games, dating back to the series finale at Pepperdine (March 29)
- Moran and Gauna also remain knotted for the team lead at 17 multi-hit games.
- Meidroth, who hit in the No. 9 spot of the lineup, joined Moran with a three-hit night, going 3-for-4 evening. He recorded his second three-hit game in the last three games and for the third time this season.
- Frize, who threw the final two innings, has registered at least six outs for the third straight outing.
- DeSchryver, who pitched the seventh inning, came out of the bullpen for the first time since middle game of the three game series at Pepperdine (March 28)
- Kern, who went 2-for-3, logged his first multi-hit game of his college career with base knocks in the fifth and eighth innings.
UP NEXT
San Diego concludes its West Coast Conference series at Portland Saturday at Joe Etzel Field. The series finale between the Toreros and Pilots is slated for first pitch at 12 p.m. The rubber game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
