SAN DIEGO – San Diego State combined for five runs in the eighth and ninth innings on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough as UC San Diego held on for a 9-6 victory in the fourth and final installment of the inaugural Trolley Series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Despite maintaining a 12-9 advantage in hits, the Aztecs (14-32) trailed 8-1 after six innings and were unable to complete the comeback against the Tritons (19-23), who won their second straight against the Scarlet and Black to capture the season series.
Offensively, SDSU was led by Cole Carrigg, who recorded a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with two RBIs, while Shaun Montoya (2 runs), Brian Leonhardt and TJ Fondtain finished with two hits apiece.
UCSD starter Izaak Martinez (3-1) retired the first nine batters he faced, but after the visitors built a 6-0 lead, Fondtain finally put the Aztecs on the board with two outs in the fifth on a solo home run off reliever Sam Hasegawa.
However, the Tritons responded with a long ball of their own in the sixth when Brock Kleszcz hit a two-run shot over the fence in left center, which stretched their lead to 8-1.
The Aztecs would not go quietly, however, as the host school plated three markers in the eighth on four hits while capitalizing on a pair of errors. Carrigg and Leonhardt each delivered an RBI single, while Xavier Carter added a sacrifice fly.
With one out, Montoya reached on a fielding error while Poncho Ruiz followed with an infield single. Moments later, Montoya crossed the plate when Carrigg singled to left and took second after the ball skipped of the glove of left fielder Luke Saunders, while Ruiz raced around to third. Moments later, Leonhardt roped a base hit to center, scoring Ruiz, while Carrigg subsequently touched home on Carter's fly ball to left, trimming the margin to 8-4.
UCSD tacked on a run in the ninth after Jalen Smith led off with a double and later scored on Emiliano Gonzalez's two-out single to center.
Trailing 9-4, SDSU threw one last scare at the Tritons, putting runners at second and third with one out when Irvin Weems drew a walk, while Montoya ripped a double down the left-field line. Shortly thereafter, Weems galloped home on Ruiz's sharp grounder in back of third, while Montoya touched the plate after Carrigg's infield single.
However, the Aztecs could draw no closer as embattled UCSD reliever Joey Soberon finally ended the game with a strikeout.
Making his first career start, freshman Ryan Faulks (0-1) posted four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings but gave up six runs (four earned) on six hits without a walk.
The Tritons struck for a pair of tallies in the first when Saunders led off with a triple and later scored on Smith's single to right. After a failed pickoff attempt, Smith took third and ultimately crossed the plate on Marc Filia's sacrifice fly.
UCSD extended its advantage with a four-spot in the fourth, highlighted by Crew Robinson's three-run double.
Saunders, Smith and Gonzalez finished with three hits apiece to lead the Tritons.
SDSU's third reliever of the night Eldridge Armstrong III pitched the final three innings and set a career high with six strikeouts, allowing just one run in the ninth.
San Diego State will have little time to dwell on its defeat, as CSUN pays a visit to Tony Gwynn Stadium on Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Fall to UCSD in Trolley Series, 9-6
