LAS VEGAS – Saint Mary's Baseball returns to the West Coast Conference Tournament this week for the first time since 2019, and they'll begin with a one-game playoff against San Diego on Wednesday, May 24 at 7:20 p.m. at Las Vegas Ballpark.
 
The WCC Tournament field expanded to six teams last season, adding a one-game playoff between the three through six seeds. This year the tournament moved from Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton, Calif., to a different Athletics minor league affiliate ballpark, in the home of the AAA Las Vegas Aviators.
 
If the Gaels win, they'll begin a series against either the one-seed LMU if they're the lower seed to advance, or two-seed Portland if they are the higher seed to advance. A loss on Wednesday would end the Gaels season. The full WCC Baseball Tournament Central can be found here.
 
The Gaels advanced past Gonzaga in their last trip to the WCC Tournament in 2019 before being eliminated by LMU. Saint Mary's won the tournament in 2016.
 
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's (21-26, 14-13) vs. USD (24-24-1, 17-10)
May 24, Las Vegas Ballpark – Las Vegas
Wednesday, 7:20 PM WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
LAST MEETING
The Gaels won the second of three games at home against the Toreros May 12-14, but USD took two out of three in the series.
 
SMC came up a run short against the University of San Diego in game one, dropping game one 4-3 to the Toreros. Saint Mary's had a chance to tie the game in the seventh, but a play at the plate on the second runner the Gaels sent home on an infield single was thrown out at home.
 
The Gaels christened Brother Ronald Gallagher Stadium with a soft opening welcoming family and friends of the program on game two, while the Gaels christened it with a flurry of offense in the opening inning. Leadoff hitter Gavin Napier hit his second home run in as many days, belting a no-doubt, solo shot over the fence in left to get the party started in a 6-0 Gaels win, and Ryan Wilste through five shutout innings.
 
Saint Mary's baseball dropped the rubber match on Mother's Day in the conference and home finale as San Diego won 10-8 in a senior day shootout.
 
ABOUT USD
The Toreros were without two of their top bats against the Gaels in their WCC finale, but still managed to knock out 26 hits over the three games.
 
USD was fifth in the WCC in batting average after hitting .272 as a team this season, and fourth in on-base percentage at .380, and fifth in slugging at .432.
 
Pitcher Ryan Robinson finished fourth in the conference in ERA with a 2.48 over 40 innings pitched, and was tied for second in wins with seven. Shortstop Justin Decriscio was tied for fourth in stolen bases with 13 while hitting .325 on the season.


 
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