SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Late-inning runs came back to hurt the Cal State San Marcos baseball team as the Cougars led in both games of Saturday's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader against UC San Diego. A combination of 11 runs in the final inning of both contests gave the Tritons the 11-9 and 9-6 victories for the four-game series sweep.
 
The Cougars fall to 10-6 overall and 0-4 in conference play. The Tritons move up to 12-2 for the season and 4-0 in CCAA action.
 
"UCSD is a good team, yet we had them beat in a few of those games and we just lost focus," said CSUSM head coach Matt Guiliano. "We, as a staff, need to do a better job and find a way to close out a game with a late lead."
 
Junior second baseman Nico Maida went 4-for-7 with a double and five runs.
 
The Cougars make their first trip north next weekend, traveling to Cal State Monterey Bay for a three-game series beginning on Saturday, March 4.
 
GAME 1: UCSD 11 – CSUSM 9
The Tritons posted seven runs in the top of the ninth to take their first lead of the ballgame at 11-7.  
 
The Cougars attempted a comeback in the bottom of the frame with two runs, but that was all they could muster up.
 
Senior Hayden Weir took the loss after relinquishing eight runs (seven earned) on six hits and two walks.
 
UCSD's Erik Amundson collected the win after forcing a pop-up to end the eighth inning.
 
Junior shortstop Tyler Place went 2-for-3 with two runs in the doubleheader opener.
 
GAME 2: UCSD 9 – CSUSM 6
UCSD held the lead in the first four and half innings until sophomore catcher Isaias Torres crushed a 2-RBI single through the 5-6 hole to give CSUSM its first lead of the game at 5-4.  
 
The Tritons evened the game in the top of the sixth at 5-5 on JD Hearn's first hit of the series, a RBI double to right shallow field.
 
The Cougars once again took back the lead when senior left fielder Ross Lemmel reached on a Triton error, advanced to third on sophomore Domenic Antonacci's single up the middle and scored when Maida hit into a fielder's choice.
 
The Tritons pushed four runs across in the top of the seventh on two walks, a wild pitch, a hit batter and Keenan Brigman's triple off the centerfield wall.
 
UCSD's Travis Roberts earned his first win of 2017 after two innings on the hill, giving up two hits.  The loss went to sophomore Brady Smith after .2 innings of action.
 
Antonacci and freshman center fielder Griffin Teisher both went 3-for-3 at the plate.
 
Brigman led the Triton offense with a 3-of-3 performance and knocking in two runs while plating three times.