This past weekend the UC San Diego Tritons took on the Grand Canyon University Lopes in a conference
tilt at Triton Ballpark. The Tritons prevailed under the lights on Saturday, but GCU’s bats proved too
much on Sunday.

Game 1
The opening game of the series was staged under the lights on Saturday night. Pitching dominated the
game early with both teams scoreless through three innings. It would be the Tritons who would break
through first in the bottom of the fourth inning. Senior Hunter Woodruff doubled down the left field line
to score a run. Senior Jacob Springman would score on an error a batter later. The Lopes’ answer came
immediately as they scored a pair of runs the next half inning. Springman would restore the lead for
good with a RBI single in the fifth. Freshman Josh Muck brought home an insurance run on a sacrifice fly
in the sixth. After freshman Michael Robichaux’s six quality innings, fellow freshman hurlers Kai
Sawamura and Darryl Contrano weathered baserunners and a ninth inning sprinkler delay to stifle the
GCU offense and secure the win for UCSD.
Game 1: Tritons 4 Lopes 2

Game 2
With their first win of the year under their belt, the Tritons looked to ride the momentum to a series win
on Sunday. Grand Canyon would open the scoring, however, with two runs in the opening frame. The
Tritons would tie it in the third with a double from Jacob Springman that would score two. The teams
would trade runs in the fourth with sophomore Kenta Okada doubling home a run to maintain the tie.
From there it was all GCU. Every bounce seemed to go their way, with balls falling in and balls hitting
bases and umpires’ feet. The Tritons didn’t help themselves either as the Lopes went on to score eleven
runs in the fifth. A shutout bottom of the fifth ended the game on a mercy rule.
Game 2: Lopes 14 Tritons 3 (5)

Game 3
The rubber match was set. The Tritons would open the scoring this game with two runs in the bottom of
the first. Jacob Springman and Hunter Woodruff each had run scoring singles. The Lopes would claw one
back in the second. In the fourth, GCU found a big inning while scoring four runs to pull ahead. Senior
Alex Uy walked a run home and senior Miguel Moreno hit a sac fly to bring the Tritons within one, but
they couldn’t quite push across the tying run. The Lopes scored another run in the sixth and that was
more than enough to secure the series.
Game 3: Lopes 6 Tritons 4

The Tritons fall to 1-5 on the young season. They have a big break before their next conference series
against the Arizona State Sun Devils on April 4th and 5th in Phoenix. That doesn’t mean they don’t have
games as they have a double header scheduled for this Sunday March 1 against the University of San
Diego Toreros at Triton Ballpark.