After an unsuccessful road trip to San Luis Obispo the previous weekend, the Tritons looked to turn their fortunes around by winning their first conference series of the year against cross-town rival SDSU.

Game 1 got off to a rocky start when the Aztecs scored 4 runs in the top of the 2nd inning, but the Tritons answered back immediately, scoring 2 runs of their own to stay within reach. The game would stay that way until the 5th inning when the Aztecs extended their lead by 2 more runs. Going into the 6th inning, the Tritons still had two innings left to make up a 4-run deficit, a very manageable task in theory. However, the Tritons fell apart in the top of the inning, giving up 8 runs that went unanswered for the rest of the game, leading to a 15-3 loss.

Coming out of the break, the Tritons looked to bounce back in game 2 of the doubleheader, but the early stages looked eerily similar to what had happened barely 3 hours earlier. SDSU had jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the middle of the 3rd inning, but the Tritons were able to answer back, scoring 3 runs by end of the 4th. The stalemate was broken in the top of the 6th when the Aztecs scored 2 more of their own, and once again the Triton offense was unable to respond, dropping the second game 6-3.

Game 3 turned out to be a pitchers’ duel, as Triton freshman pitcher Seth Rutman went 8 innings while only giving up 2 runs. The SDSU starter was unfortunately able to match him out for out, and through the 8th, the Tritons found themselves staring at a 2-run deficit. In the top of the 9th, sophomore Lincoln Wirschem came in to close the game and was unable to contain the Aztec offense as they put up 4 runs in their last at bats of the game. In what seems to be a recurring theme, the Triton’s bats stayed cold as they were unable to put any runs on the board in the bottom of the 9th, losing the game 6-0.

The Tritons have a week off before they play the University of Arizona at Triton Ballpark next. They’ll be looking to finally wake up their slumbering offense and get the proverbial “monkey off their back” as they seek their first win of the season.