UCSD Loses Opening Game, 6-5, in NCAA Division III World Series

UC San Diego’s Rick Nowak gave up a two-run double to Roy Hill in the bottom of the fifth inning to give North Carolina Wesleyan College a lead it never relinquished, as the Tritons lost their first game in the NCAA Division III College World Series, 6-5. Another loss will eliminate UCSD, which plays Montclair State College of New Jersey today.

UCSD took the lead in the first when David Stanovich led off the game with his third home run of the season. North Carolina Wesleyan scored three times in the third, but the Tritons came back in the fourth with three runs, two on catcher Bob Natal’s home run.

After going ahead in the fifth, North Carolina Wesleyan added another run in the sixth. UCSD rallied in the eighth, scoring a run off starter Frankie Moore (11-0). But reliever Gary Appleton pitched the Battling Bishops out of the jam and retired the Tritons in the ninth to record his 14th save.

Nowak (10-4) pitched a complete game, striking out eight. Natal had two hits to give him a season total of 71, breaking his own school record of 69 set in 1984. He also added to his school records for home runs (18) and RBIs (66). Before Thursday’s game, Nowak and Natal became the first UCSD baseball players ever to be named Division III first-team All-Americans.