TRITONS TAKE ON TITANS HOPING TO KEEP STREAK INTACT

The turning point last year to UC San Diego’s Big West season came in an unlikely place — Cal State Fullerton.

The Titans have one of the most storied programs in college baseball history, a legacy that includes four national championships in four different decades. Texas and USC are the only other schools that can boast such an accomplishment.

UCSD had scuffled a bit in its Big West debut, sinking into the bottom half of the standings before the Fullerton series. The Tritons won three of four games that weekend — the only loss coming in 16 innings — springboarding the team to 12 wins in the season’s final 16 games.

UCSD (19-23, 9-9 Big

West) hosts Cal State Fullerton (17-25, 10-8) for three games this weekend with another opportunity for a strong finish. The Tritons come into the series amid a six-game winning streak, including Tuesday’s 9-6 nonconference win at San Diego State.

Tritons junior third baseman Jalen Smith leads the Tritons with a .322 batting average and 12 doubles, along with five home runs and 28 RBIs.

Junior catcher Marc Filia has a team-high 10 homers and 34 RBIs.

UCSD’s starting rotation has received a boost in recent weeks from a pair of freshmen — right-hander Ryan Forcucci (San Marcos High) and left-hander Zack Ernisse — who last week both picked up victories against UC Riverside as the

Tritons swept their first conference series.

Cal State Fullerton’s starting lineup includes sophomore outfielder Nate Nankil (Bonita Vista High), who is batting .240 with 14 RBIs and a team-high 10 stolen bases.

This week: Friday-Sunday vs. Cal State Fullerton, 6:30 p.m./2 p.m./1 p.m.

Toreros update

University of San Diego (27-15, 13-8 West Coast Conference) travels to last-place Pacific (14-28, 5-13) looking to avoid a stumble and set up a showdown with first-place Gonzaga (29-13, 15-6) for the second straight season.

The Toreros are in second place, two games behind Gonzaga, with six games to play. The Bulldogs host Santa Clara this weekend.

Gonzaga took two of three games at home against USD last season, which allowed the Bulldogs to finish one game ahead of USD for the WCC season title.

The Toreros, who lost 6-1 on Tuesday at UC Irvine, hold the the conference lead in several offensive categories, including batting average (.288), on-base percentage (.379) and runs scored (278).

USD sophomore lefthander Brycen Mautz, (8-1, 3.69 ERA, 98 SO in 68.1 IP) needs 10 more strikeouts to join the Toreros’ top 10 in single-season strikeouts.

This week: Friday-Sunday at Pacific, 6 p.m./3 p.m./1 p.m.

Aztecs update

San Diego State (14-33, 615 Mountain West) resumes conference play this weekend against Air Force (22-23, 10-11) following nonconference 10-11 at Fresno Pacific (28-18, losses this week to 17-11).

UCSD and Cal State Off. Northridge.

SDSU has nine games remaining in conference play and will need to win virtually all of them to have a chance at qualifying for the fourteam Mountain West Tournament.

A more immediate goal may be escaping last place in the seven-team Mountain

West. The Aztecs are two wins behind sixth-place New

Mexico (8-16).

This week: Friday-Sunday vs. Air Force, 6 p.m./6 p.m./1 p.m.

Sea Lions update

Point Loma Nazarene (39-7, 21-7 PacWest), ranked No. 3 in Division II, has the weekend off before concluding the regular season with a pair of doubleheaders May

This week: Cougars update

Cal State San Marcos (15-31, 11-25 California Collegiate Athletic Association) concludes the season this week at Stanislaus State (14-28, 11-25) in a matchup of teams trying to get out of the conference cellar.

Cougars junior righthander Garrett Apker has 166 career strikeouts. He can break the school’s career strikeout record (Johnny Holtman, 168, 2008-11) with three Ks against Stanislaus State.

This week: ThursdaySaturday at Stanislaus State, 5 p.m./1 p.m. (DH)/11 a.m.