Feb. 1, 2005
(San Diego, CA) - The USD Toreros and Cal State Northridge Matadors played to a 3-3 tie, completing nine innings Tuesday before the game was halted due to darkness. Torero junior left-hander Justin Blaine matched a career-high with seven strikeouts, cruising through seven scoreless innings of five-hit baseball. But Cal State Northridge (0-0-1) scored three runs off a pair of USD relievers to even the score in the eighth. Shane Buschini drove in two runs for the host Toreros (5-3-1).
Keoni Ruth initiated the scoring in San Diego's three-run fourth, plating Ryan Lilly with an RBI ground-out. Lilly had walked to lead off the inning, one of four free passes issued by Matador sophomore starter Joe Rocchio. Senior first baseman Randy Curtis followed Lilly's walk with a double over the head of Northridge right-fielder John Voita. After Ruth advanced the runners and Jordan Abruzzo was walked, Buschini drove in both Curtis and Abruzzo on a ball that was hit into the gap in right-center field.
With USD leading 3-0, junior transfer Nicholas Cranmer took over for Blaine to begin the eighth. Preseason All-American outfielder Michael Paulk greeted Cranmer with a leadoff single and Cranmer then plunked Voita on the ensuing at-bat. Cranmer would eventually be charged with three runs after Nick Mahin doubled in both Paulk and Voita. Mahin later scored after a USD pitching change to even the game at three apiece.
San Diego threatened by putting a pair of runners on in the bottom of the ninth but were turned away via the strikeout by Matador reliever Jimmy Brettl. Brettl worked three-plus scoreless innings, getting Rocchio out of a two-out bases-loaded jam in the sixth.
The Toreros next play a three-game series with UC Riverside this weekend. Friday (6pm) and Sunday (1pm) games will be played in Riverside. Saturday's game (1pm) will be played at USD's Cunningham Stadium.
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