Right when things looked at their bleakest the No. 6 seeded Point Loma baseball team mounted one of its best comebacks of the year to tie No. 5 seed UC San Diego at 5-5 in the top of eighth inning, unfortunately the Sea Lions could not keep the Tritons off the board in the bottom of the eighth as they put up two runs to pick up the 7-5 win and knock PLNU out of the NCAA West Regional (May 15).
PLNU completes its season at 33-18, while UC San Diego (34-20) will continue play in the elimination part of the bracket on Saturday against the loser of No. 2 Azusa Pacific and No. 3 California Baptist.
Point Loma trailed UCSD 5-0 entering the seventh before Ryan Garcia woke up the Sea Lions’ bats with a leadoff triple to right field. Joseph Keller and Kellen Sheppard then followed with singles to score Garcia and keep the rally going. PLNU put up three in the inning. Anthony Torres added an RBI-single and Tanner Handa brought in another on a groundout.
The Sea Lions’ two-run eighth inning rally started with a leadoff walk to AJ Derr. Garcia, Keller and Sheppard then each followed with singles to load the bases with no out and bring PLNU within one at 5-4. After a strikeout, Torres came through with a grounder to third to plate Garcia and tie the game at 5-5.
Point Loma made a crucial mistake in the bottom of the eighth as they walked the leadoff batter and he came around to score the eventual winning-run on single to center field.
Keller had three hits and an RBI to pace PLNU. Garcia had a pair of hits, including the triple, and scored two runs. Sheppard also had two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Both teams had 11 hits.
Jack Larson led UCSD with three hits and a run scored. Seven of the nine Triton starters had hits.
Eric Pierce started the game for the Sea Lions. He allowed seven hits, three walks and four runs (one earned). He struck out four. Garrett Gooding (0-1) took the loss in relief.
UC San Diego’s starter Trevor Scott went six innings allowing five hits, two walks and three runs. He struck out four before PLNU knocked him out of the game in the seventh. Troy Cruz (6-5) earned the vulture win after he came out of the bullpen and allowed the tying run only to see UC San Diego retake the lead in the bottom of the eighth.
“Any time our season ends it is a bummer but all you can ask for is that it ends in the playoffs,” said Point Loma head coach Joe Schaefer. “We would have liked to be here longer but all the experience these guys got is going to bode well for us next year. We bring just about everyone back and we add a few pieces so I think things are looking very promising.”
Point Loma will return 28 letterwinners next year including All-PacWest selections Ryan Garcia and AJ Derr.