UCSD Media Release
LA JOLLA, Calif. – The 12th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team resumes California Collegiate Athletic Association play this week when it travels to Cal State Stanislaus this week. UCSD (28-7, 12-4 CCAA) and CSUS (24-10, 16-4 CCAA) will square off on Friday, April 4 at 3:00 p.m. The teams will tangle in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12:00 p.m. and conclude the series on Sunday with a single game at 12:00 p.m. All games will be held in Turlock on the Warrior campus. The Tritons will be aiming for their third, eight-game winning streak of the season, after winning seven games against Sioux Falls, Cal State San Bernardino and Grand Canyon last week.
Cal State Stanislaus leads the all-time series with the Tritons, having won 20 of the 34 previous meetings. Last year, UCSD won 3-of-4 from the Warriors at Triton Baseball Field. The last time UCSD traveled to Turlock was during the 2006 campaign. The Warriors won 3-of-4, including outscoring the Tritons 41-2 in the three wins.
Last week, CSUS split four-games with Cal State San Bernardino. The Warriors enter the week in second-place in the CCAA standings, two games behind Sonoma State. Cal State Stanislaus has won 3-of-4 from both Cal State L.A. and Chico State this year.
As a team, the Warriors are one of the top pitching teams in the conference with a team ERA of 3.90. Marquis Fleming is the staff ace with a 6-3 record, 2.80 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched. Four of Fleming’s nine starts have been complete games. CSUS’s Andrew Stueve is 3-1 with a 3.99 ERA and three complete games while Eric Federico is 4-2 with a 4.12 ERA and two complete games. Matt Costa (1-3, 5.40 ERA) and Anthony Smith (0-0, 4.97 ERA) are the other starters. Andrew Troncale is the closer with six saves, a 3-1 mark and 4.24 ERA.
Kyle Loretelli leads CSUS in hitting with his .352 average, 12 doubles and seven homeruns. Jacob Thelen hits at a .314 clip while Dennis Wolfe is hitting .312 and a team-best five triples.
The Tritons returned to the field last week, after a week off for final exams. The Tritons won all seven games, winning two games against Sioux Falls 10-1 and 6-2, a CCAA game against Cal State San Bernardino 3-2 and a four game sweep in Phoenix against Grand Canyon.
The Tritons had several outstanding performers in a week which saw the Tritons go 7-0 with a team batting average of .372 and a team ERA of 3.95. Six Triton regulars hit over .400 for the week which included Tim Mort (.519), Evan Kehoe (.480), Michael Benton (.467), Matt Cantele (.426), Garrett Imeson (.421) and Chris Franco (.407). Additionally, Tony Bonelli made his first start of the season and went 3-for-5 against GCU.
On the mound, Keith Noe saved three games, allowing no runs, giving the senior seven saves this season. The UCSD single-season record for saves is eight, set in 2007 by current Triton Derek Barham, Matt Rossman went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA, allowing just one run in his 13 innings of work. Rossman pitched a complete-game against the Antelopes. Trevor Decker, Tim Shibuya, Guido Knudson, Kirby St. John and Nick Rodieck also earned wins.
Last week, junior second baseman Garrett Imeson recorded his 200th career hit. He becomes the eighth student-athlete in school history with at least 200 hits. The all-time mark is 257 career hits, held by Bob Natal from 1984-87.
Matt Cantele hit his 43rd career homerun against Grand Canyon. The junior first baseman/designated hitter is now 10 homeruns short of the all time mark of 53, set by Natal.
