LA JOLLA, Calif. – In the third game of a four-game series against No. 15-ranked University of California, San Diego, Western Oregon University's baseball team could not overcome 12 unanswered runs over the opening three innings by the host Tritons en route to falling 12-5 Monday evening at Triton Ballpark.

Western Oregon (0-3) had seven players register at least one hit with senior Matt Taylor, senior Michael Sherwin, junior Nathan Etheridge, and junior Mac Gridley each collecting an RBI for the Wolves. Seven pitchers were used by WOU with junior Houston Samuel getting the first start of his career allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in 2.0 innings of work before handing the ball over to six other relievers.

UC San Diego (3-0) was led offensively by Justin Flatt with a 3-for-4 performance from the leadoff position, while Michael Mann and Zach Friedman drove in a game-high three runs each for the Tritons. On the mound, Dan Kolodin allowed just two earned runs on three hits over the opening 5.0 innings en route to earning the victory before handing the ball over to a trio of relievers for the final four innings of work.

UCSD would strike first in the bottom of the first inning when Mann cleared the bases with a three-run triple before Friedman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly followed by another sacrifice fly off the bat of Tyler Howsley, as the host team quickly built a 5-0 lead after their opening at-bat.

In the bottom of the second inning, UC San Diego added two more runs on a RBI by Erik Lewis and Friedman's second run batted in of the evening resulting in a 7-0 lead for the Tritons.

One inning later, UCSD added five more runs that included three RBI singles, a sacrifice fly, and scoring via a pass ball to put the Tritons ahead by a score of 12-0 after three innings.

Western Oregon would break through in the top of the fourth inning when senior Jacob Whisler led off with a single to center field before coming home two batters later on Etheridge's single through the right side to put the Wolves on the board.

In the top of the fifth inning, Taylor drew a bases loaded walk that brought junior Brenden Shaffer home after he led off the inning with a single through the left side.

Three innings later, Western Oregon would put its final three runs on the board beginning with a double to left field by junior Cody Sullivan that brought home Taylor. Sherwin would step in as a pinch hitter next and drove home Sullivan with a single to left center, as the Wolves pulled within nine runs (12-4). Gridley would come up one batter later and lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Sherwin for the final difference of seven runs (12-5).

After Western Oregon's pitching staff began with Samuel and junior Cody Allison combining to allow 12 runs (11 earned) on 11 hits over the first 2.2 innings, a quintet of relievers that included senior Christian Morrison, junior Alex Emerson, senior Spencer Trautmann, junior Gary Steindorf, and junior Jacob Storedahl held UC San Diego without a hit and struck out eight Triton batters over the final 5.1 innings.

These same two teams will close out their season-opening four-game series tomorrow – Tuesday, February 3 – with a single nine-inning game beginning at 6 p.m. at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla, California.