USD HOLDS OFF VAUNTED VANDY
University of San Diego lefthander Brycen Mautz came up big on the big stage, USD made a habit of getting its leadoff hitter on base and everything seemed to be going the Toreros’ way Friday in their NCAA Division I Regionals opener against Vanderbilt.
But USD didn’t dare celebrate until right fielder Angelo Peraza leaped to grab the final out in the Toreros’
3-2 win over Vanderbilt in the opening game of the Corvallis Regional.
USD head coach Brock Ungricht said it was crucial to play “clean baseball.”
“The way we pitched, the way we played defense, the timely hitting, the execution, it’s everything you could ask for as a head coach,” Ungricht said. “And then the confidence, the belief, the toughness.”
The Toreros (37-18) will play for a spot in the regional final at 7 p.m. today against regional host Oregon State, which needed extra innings to get past No. 4 seed New Mexico State.
Vanderbilt (36-21), last year’s national runner-up, plays New Mexico State earlier in the day in an elimination game.
USD scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings, each time getting its leadoff hitter aboard, and the Toreros carried their 3-0 lead through six innings.
Catcher Caleb Ricketts brought home two of the runs, with an infield out and single to center field.
That seemed like plenty of offense the way Mautz (10-2) was dealing.
The sophomore left-hander from Westview High sailed through seven innings on 75 pitches, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts, to become the first USD pitcher in 14 years to reach double
digits in victories.
“It feels great to come out here when we need it most and show up,” said Mautz, who may have come out for another inning had it not been for hamstring cramps. “It was really exciting when we saw ourselves getting the Vanderbilt matchup. We were going crazy, ready to step up and it was a lot of fun getting to play such a great opponent and get us going here.”
After the Toreros turned double plays in the first two innings, Mautz retired 12 of the next 13 hitters.
“I know that’s exactly what he set out to do,” Ungricht said of how
Mautz took charge. “That’s the way he ticks. That’s his mindset. The guy has got more belief in himself than anyone that’s stepping out on that mound.”
Mautz’s shutout bid ended with two outs in the seventh when the Commodores’ Dominic Keegan homered to center field to make it 3-1.
Vanderbilt’s Calvin Hewett hit the first pitch of the eighth inning from Toreros reliever Ryan Robinson for a home run over the left field wall and it was 3-2.
In the ninth, left-hander Ian Chruchill came on for USD and walked leadoff hitter Enrique Bradfield Jr. Bradfield was 43for-43 in stolen bases this season, but Vanderbilt chose to bunt Bradfield over to second rather than try to have him take it on his own.
An infield out and liner to right field followed, and USD had its first NCAA Tournament win since 2013.