Facing the #1-ranked team in NCAA Division II, Cal State San Marcos baseball hung around and made it interesting, but in the end fell on the road to UC San Diego 8-4.

CSUSM falls to 17-8-1 this season.  UCSD improves to 24-3 and pushes its win streak to 15 games.

The Cougars came out swinging, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.  Ricardo Moran led off with a single, Kyle Secciani walked, and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position.  Kevin Silvett and Josh Miller then both delivered sacrifice flies to put CSUSM up early.

The lead would not be long-lived, however.  The Tritons came back in the second, stringing together six hits off Cougar starter Mitch Ferguson to drive him from the game and put UCSD up 5-2.

CSUSM came right back though, scoring two runs in the third to cut the lead to 5-4.  Moran and Secciani once again got the rally going, with both singling to put two on for Silvett and Miller, who once again drove in the runs, this time with base hits.

But the Tritons proved too much, adding runs in fourth, seventh, and eighth innings.  UCSD used 9 pitchers in the contest, giving each one an inning.  Taylor Austin earned the win for pitching a perfect second.  Cougar relievers Auggie Richardson and Kyle Smart did good work, with each throwing 2 2/3 innings and allowing just one earned run apiece.

Cougar baseball will be back in action tomorrow at San Diego Christian, starting at 2:00 PM.