Box Score
LA JOLLA -- UC San Diego sophomore starter Justin Donatella took a no-hitter into the 7th inning en route to 8.1 frames of stellar work as the Tritons took a 1-0 win over the Toros in game one of the four-game set at Triton Ballpark.
The Toros fall to 9-6, 4-4 CCAA, after dropping their third-straight game. UCSD, meanwhile, improves to 8-6, 5-4 CCAA after Donatella's 13-strikeout performance with the hosts surviving a tense-filled 9th inning Toro at-bat.
In the frame, Hayden Maurice began the inning with a single to right center by Hayden Maurice, with David Steininger following suit one batter later to move Maurice to third with one out.
On came senior closer Scott Zeman, the right-hander deftly gathering Danny Haley's attempt at a game-tying safety squeeze on an 0-1 pitch and tossing underhand to cut down pinch-runner Alex Sixtos at the plate. Two pitches later, Peter Ives flew out down the right field line for Zeman's third save.
Donatella (3-1) tossed 6.2 no-hit innings before Ives dropped a double down the left field line with two gone in in the seventh.
The only run of the game was an unearned one for UCSD in the home second. Toro ace David Haerle (3-1) actually walked the first three batters of the inning, but had the first one cleaned up as his catcher, Rico Pena, got the pick-off at first.
Freshman centerfielder Jack Larsen then hit a fielder's choice grounder to Kamran Young at first base, with Young going immediately to second for the second out of the frame.
Ives then tossed back in an effort to complete the inning-ending double play, but no Toro was yet present at the bag, the throw going through and allowing Troy Cruz (Chula Vista/Bonita Vista HS) to scurry around from second with the deciding run.
UCSD and Cal State Dominguez Hills continue this series with another 6 p.m. first pitch at Triton Ballpark on Friday night, March 7.
