LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego baseball team defeated Sonoma State 2-1 in 10 innings on Friday afternoon at Triton Baseball Field. The game was a pitchers' battle the entire way before the Tritons finally broke through in the 10th frame as Scott Clement singled through the right side with one out, scoring Garrett Imeson with the winning run. Jose Navarro went nine innings, allowed one run and five hits while retiring the final 14 batters he faced. Trevor Decker pitched a perfect 10th inning and earned the win. David Gomez provided much of the UCSD offense with three hits, including a game-tying homerun in the sixth inning. The win improves UCSD to 9-6, 3-2 CCAA while the Seawolves drop to 9-8, 1-4 CCAA.
SSU loaded the bases in the fourth with one out. Ryan Johnson flew out to leftfield for the second out. The next SSU batter lined out to first for the third out.
SSU put two on with one out in the fifth and broke through with the first run of the game on an RBI single by Jason Searle.
The Tritons put two on in the fifth, but Tim Mort's line drive was chased down in the game to keep the score 1-0 SSU.
In the bottom sixth, David Gomez homered to right center to tie the game 1-1.
SSU's Matt Bush went six innings and allowed one run on three hits and gave way to Kevin Asselin in the bottom half of the seventh. Jonathan Erickson led of the seventh with a single. With one out, Damian Fante doubled to left center, but Erickson was thrown out at home 8-6-2, for the second out. At the end of seven, the score remained 1-1.
With one out in the bottom half of the eighth, Garrett Imeson was hit-by-pitch and Gomez singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. David Morehead was walked to load the bases with one out. The Tritons could not get the go-ahead run in after a foulout and flyball to centerfield as the score remained 1-1 through eight.
In the ninth, pinch hitter Matt Cantele singled and Devin Incerti pinch ran and stole second with two outs. The next Triton batter struckout as the game went to extra innings.
UCSD's Navarro pitched nine innings and gave up one run on five hits and retired the last 14 batters he faced. Trevor Decker came on and picked up right where Navarro left off with a 1-2-3 10th frame.
Imeson led off the Triton 10th with a single through the left side and Gomez followed with another single through the left side to put runners on first and second with no outs. With one gone, Clement singled past the first-baseman, into rightfield as Imeson raced around to score the winning run from second base.
UCSD and Sonoma State continue the four-game series with a doubleheader at Triton Baseball Field on Saturday. First pitch of the first game is slated for 11:00 a.m.
