TOREROS’ SEASON ENDS WITH DEFEAT
Navigating through an NCAA regional provides a true test of pitching depth.
The University of San Diego used top starting pitcher Bryan Mautz to beat Vanderbilt in Friday afternoon’s Corvallis Regional opener.
Ryan Kysar and Garrett Rennie, USD’s other primary starters, were exhausted in Saturday night’s loss to regional host Oregon State.
So for Sunday’s elimination game against Vandy, that left the Toreros trying to cobble it together with players primarily used out of the bullpen this season.
It did not go as scripted, with Vanderbilt jumping on USD from the get-go in a 14-4 win at Goss Stadium that ended the Toreros’ 2022 season.
“I told the team after the game that it hurts that you lose, but you took the program to another level,” said first-year USD head coach Brock Ungricht. “Winning that first game was big for our program against a great team in Vanderbilt.
“I told our guys that the love we have for one another is second to none, and I’m super proud of the way they competed (this season).”
Vanderbilt (38-22) stayed at the ballpark for a Sunday night regional final game against Oregon State (46-15), which was a win away from reaching the Super Regionals.
The Toreros (36-20) started sophomore right-hander Ivran Romero, who served in a set-up or closer role this season, against Vanderbilt.
Romero walked two of the first three hitters he faced and the Commodores made him pay for it with three RBI singles before the side could be retired.
And all of the sudden Vanderbilt had more runs on the
Vanderbilt 14, Toreros 4
scoreboard in the first inning than it did all game in Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Toreros.
USD graduate left-hander Ian Churchill replaced Romero in the second, checking the Commodores for a couple innings while USD closed the gap to 3-2 with a couple runs in the third.
Vanderbilt responded with three more runs (one earned) over the next two innings and led 6-3 after USD first baseman Kevin Sims’ solo homer in the fifth.
USD could draw no closer, watching Vandy add eight runs over the game’s last three innings.
Vanderbilt has won two national championships and finished runner-up for two other titles over the past decade, so the Commodores know as well as anyone how this works.
Sometimes it’s counting on a pitcher whose season has been interrupted by injury, but is ready — and fresh — to step up in the postseason.
It went as scripted for the Commodores.
Vandy starting pitcher Nick Maldonado made just 12 appearances this season, but he kept the Toreros in check throughout the afternoon.
Maldonado allowed seven hits and three runs with five strikeouts over 72⁄3 innings. It was the longest outing of his career. He had pitched more than four innings (52⁄3 vs. LSU) only once all season.
The effort saved the Vandy bullpen, which will be needed if the Commodores are going to challenge Oregon State in the regional final.
As for the Toreros, they no longer have to point to 2013 as the program’s last postseason appearance.