UC San Diego playing for Big West Tournament championship after pair of elimination-game victories (original) (raw)

UC San Diego won the Big West Championship three years ago, but sat at home during the NCAA Division I Regionals because the Tritons were ineligible to participate amid a four-year reclassification period.

UCSD is eligible now and finds itself one win away from joining the Field of 64 after winning two elimination games Saturday at UC Irvine’s Anteater Ballpark.

The third-seeded Tritons eliminated top-seeded UC Santa Barbara 7-0 behind right-hander Nathan Ries’ four-hit shutout Saturday afternoon, then stayed on the field and beat second-seeded Cal Poly 12-2 late in the night to force Sunday’s winner-take-all game against the Mustangs.

UCSD and Cal Poly will meet at noon, with the winner claiming the Big West crown and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Against the Mustangs Saturday night, UCSD (27-27) erased a one-run deficit with a four-run second inning capped by center fielder Nathaniel Widelski’s steal of home.

That was plenty of support for starter Austin Bowker, who pitched five scoreless innings after allowing a run in the first. Cal Poly (35-22) added Gavin Spiridonoff’s leadoff homer in the seventh, but UCSD went to reliever Kayden Henson. Bowker (5-1) allowed six hits and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.

UCSD enjoyed another four-run inning in the seventh, then added three runs in the eighth to end the game on the tournament’s 10-run rule.

Earlier in the day, UC San Diego startled UCSB (38-18) in the first inning, scoring five runs with the benefit of just one hit. UCSD parlayed its good fortune and Ries’ gem into a lopsided victory against a Gauchos team that now must rely on at-large berth to the NCAA Regionals.

Ries (3-3), a sophomore right-hander from Upland, was outstanding for UCSD, pitching four innings longer than he had all season. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out four, challenging UCSB batters after being staked to the early lead.

UCSD starting pitcher Kellan Montgomery, who limited UCSD to one hit over eight innings when the teams met last month, hit two batters and walked another to provide the fuel for the Tritons’ big first inning. There were also two throwing errors behind him that led to four unearned runs for the Tritons.

UCSD improved its lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning on Addison Klepsch’s two-run single.