MORAGA, Calif. - Third year Gael
John Damozonio got the call Sunday afternoon with a thin pitching staff and gave Saint Mary's everything they needed on the mound and then some. The San Jose native hurled a career high 5+ innings allowing just three runs off six hits before departing with one out in the sixth. Damozonio kept San Diego off the scoreboard through the first four innings and the Gaels backed him up with a pair of runs in the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Damozonio nearly escaped a jam in the fifth but gave up a two-out two-RBI single to tie the game. After getting the leadoff hitter out to start the sixth, San Diego's Jayden Lobliner would end his outing with a solo home run that just narrowly stayed fair and snuck over the left field corner. The Gaels had a runner in scoring position in the third and eighth inning, threatening to retake the lead, but the USD lineup got to the Gaels bullpen once again and scored four runs over the final two innings to seal the five-run victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
2ND INNING
Junior right hander
John Damozonio made just his second career start with the other coming in May of last season. The Gaels needed some life and quality innings out of their starter to contend with San Diego and that's exactly what they got out of Damozonio. He allowed two hits in the first two innings but got an inning ending double play to end the first and struckout his second batter of the game to conclude the second, recording back-to-back scoreless frames for the first time since game on of the series.
After some nice defense and a clean start to the game, the Gaels offense would back up Damozonio and strike first with a pair of runs in the second.
Aiden Taurek would lead things off with a single back up the box and then freshman first baseman
Makoa Sniffen would perfectly execute a hit-and-run and punch a single through the right side to put runners on the corners.
Fellow freshman
Brett Williams would come to the plate and ground a ball to third and Taurek would break for home on contact. USD third baseman AJ Beltre would charge in on the slow roller but fumble the transfer allowing Taurek to dive head first into home and score the game's first run. Two batters later
Micah Nicholson would send a deep fly ball to center and score Sniffen from third to give Saint Mary's a 2-0 lead, their only and largest of the series.
Damozonio would complete the fourth and fifth and get some great defense behind him to keep San Diego off the scoreboard heading into the top of the fifth.
5TH INNING
The Toreros would find themselves in a favorable position to start the fifth with runners on second and third after a sacrifice bunt. Leadoff hitter Jack Gurevitch would then draw a walk the very next at-bat to load the bases with just one out. Damozonio nearly got out of the jam after a lineout to shortstop for the second out of the inning but Austin Smith would cash in with a clutch two-out single to score two runs and tie the game at two.
Damozonio would come back out to start the sixth but gave up a solo-home run to the second batter of the inning to end his day. Despite the bitter ending to his outing, Damozonio had himself a career day with 5.1 innings pitched, two strikeouts, three runs allowed off six hits.
8TH AND 9TH INNING
San Diego reliever Andrew Mosiello was brilliant for the Toreros as he came in and threw 5.2 innings in relief to earn his second win of the season. Mosiello really silenced the Gaels offense since the early innings and got out of some tough jams as well.
Eddie Madrigal doubled with one out in the eighth and represented the team's first runner in scoring position since the third inning.
Mosiello would induce back-to-back fly outs though to end the threat and maintain their lead. San Diego added to that lead in the top half of the ninth, scoring two more runs thanks to an RBI single from Rex Watson and then a bases loaded walk four batters later. The Gaels put two on in the ninth but couldn't capitalize as San Diego came from behind for the 7-2 victory to complete the series sweep.
The freshmen trio were solid once again for Saint Mary's as Sniffen, Williams and Nicholson combined for three hits, a run scored and two RBI. Madrigal brought his season average up to .361 with a pair of hits while
Aiden Taurek and
Ryan Pierce each had a hit as well. On the mound, freshman right hander
Lukas Sarantos made his eighth appearance of the season and completed two innings, allowing two runs off just one USD hit. He lowered his season ERA to 5.27.
Despite some big numbers from San Diego, Saint Mary's still had opportunities offensively as they finished the three-game series just .269 from the plate with runners in scoring position and a .260 batting average as a team.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's is now 15-19 overall and 2-7 in conference play. They will hit the road Tuesday night to complete their two-game season series with San Jose State. That game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com.
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