SAN DIEGO – In the third installment of the inaugural Trolley Series, San Diego State fell victim to a late rally on Tuesday, as UC San Diego plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth to claim a 4-2 victory at Triton Ballpark.
The Aztecs (10-27) were led by Poncho Ruiz, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, highlighted by a two-run single with two outs in the top of the fifth, which put the visitors on top 2-1.
SDSU nearly made the lead stand up, as Eldridge Armstrong III and Hunter Hargett combined for 11 strikeouts in the first 6 2/3 innings.
Making his first collegiate start, Armstrong scattered seven hits and three walks while posting five strikeouts in his four-inning stint, yielding just one run on Crew Robinson's solo homer with one out in the fourth.
However, the Aztecs put two runners aboard in the fifth, as Caden Miller singled to left field, while Irvin Weems drew a walk. Following a strikeout, both players moved up on a wild pitch before racing home on Ruiz's aforementioned hit.
UCSD (13-22) threatened in its half of the fifth when Jalen Smith led off with a double down the left-field line, while Marc Filia was hit by a pitch. However, Hargett took the mound at this juncture and got the Scarlet and Black off the hook by inducing a fly ball and striking out the final two batters.
Hargett, who fanned six hitters in his 2 2/3 innings of work, also found himself on the ropes in the sixth when Matt Halbach singled and Luke Saunders walked, as the two runners advanced on separate stolen base attempts. However, the Aztec right-hander came through in the clutch with a swinging strikeout to Smith, thwarting a Triton scoring opportunity.
Hargett found himself in more peril in the seventh when UCSD loaded the bases on a pair of walks to Filia and Halbach, while Robinson was hit by a pitch following a lineout and a strikeout. However, Avery Jones was summoned from the bullpen and induced a fly ball by Noah Sudyka on a 3-1 pitch to extinguish yet another threat.
SDSU had a chance to give itself some breathing room in the eighth off Ethan Holt, the Tritons' second reliever of the night, as Ruiz and Cole Carrigg led off with consecutive singles before advancing on Brian Leonhardt's sacrifice. However, Ryan Rissas entered and kept the Aztecs off the scoreboard by fanning the final two batters.
Buoyed by its good fortune, UCSD took out its earlier frustrations with a three-spot in the bottom of the eighth off Ricky Tibbett (1-1). Saunders and Ryan McNally initiated the rally with consecutive singles, as both runners advanced on Smith's sacrifice bunt. Moments later, Filia was walked intentionally before Anthony Lucchetti roped an 0-1 offering up the middle, plating Saunders and McNally.
After another intentional walk to pinch hitter Austin Smith that loaded the bases once again, Robinson drew a base-on-balls from new reliever Kelena Sauer to give the host a 4-2 advantage.
Aren Alvarez entered in the ninth and retired the Aztecs in order for his first save of the season, while Rissas (1-1) was credited with the victory. Joey Soberon started for the Tritons and gave up three hits and three walks in three scoreless innings.
UCSD maintained an 11-8 advantage in hits, including three by McNally, who tied Ruiz for game-high honors. However, the teams combined to strand 25 runners for the game, including a whopping 17 by the Tritons.
Both sides threw out a runner at the plate in the first inning, including the Aztecs' left fielder Charlie Rhee, who fired home to nail McNally after a two-out single by Filia.
San Diego State will return to the friendly confines of Tony Gwynn Stadium for a four-game homestand, squaring off against Grand Canyon, April 21-22, before welcoming No. 7/7 Stanford to The Mesa, April 23-24.
UCSD Rallies Past Aztecs, 4-2
