Page’s Homer Starts USIU to Victory

Rick Page hit a bases-empty home run in the sixth inning to snap a 5-5 tie, and U.S. International University went on to an 11-5 nonconference college baseball victory over Pepperdine Saturday at USIU.

Steve Kruger’s fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot, gave USIU (4-2) a 5-0 lead after three innings. But Pepperdine (1-2) scored five runs in the fourth with the help of back-to-back home runs by Scott Craven and Richard Barnwell.

After Page’s second home run of the year, USIU added three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. Mike Romberg (3-0) pitched the first seven innings for the victory.

Harry Henderson was three for four with two RBIs, and Billy Miller had two hits and two RBIs to lead San Diego State past Pacific, 10-2, in a nonconference game at Smith Field. Rob Brown (2-0) pitched seven innings and struck out six. Casey McKeon added two hits and an RBI for SDSU (4-2), which scored five runs in the seventh inning to open a 9-2 lead. Pacific is 2-3.

UC San Diego (2-1) split a doubleheader with Cal Lutheran (2-1) at UCSD’s Olsen Field. UCSD won the first game, 4-2, as Mike Morgan (2-0) pitched a one-hitter and struck out five. Cal Lutheran won the second game, 5-3.

Pat Fitzsimons pitched six innings of five-hit relief and Andy Roberts was four for five with two RBIs to lead the University of San Diego to a 9-7 nonconference win over host Cal Poly Pomona. Fitzsimons (1-0) allowed just two runs in relief of Tony Battilega and struck out two. USD, which scored four times in the fourth to snap a 5-5 tie, is 1-2. Cal Poly Pomona is 0-3.

Point Loma Nazarene (1-2) was swept in its doubleheader against visiting San Francisco State, 9-3 and 8-2. In the first game, the Crusaders scored their three runs in the first inning. Tony Nobinski drove in A.J. Napier and John Thibert on a single. Brian Tema then hit a double to score Nobinski home. Marin Markrack was the winner for San Francisco State (2-4) in the first game. Ted Kaye won the second.

TRACK AND FIELD

San Diego State’s men’s track team won twice, and the SDSU women split as the Aztec opened their season with a tri-meet at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. SDSU’s men beat Cal Poly, 92-70, and Occidental, 125-37. The Aztec women beat Occidental, 107-36, but lost to Cal Poly, 81-61.

For the men, Pat Thiss threw the hammer 198 feet 6 inches to just miss the NCAA qualifying mark of 200-2. Fred Morgan threw the javelin 194-10, and Patrick Rowe won the 100 meters in 10.97 seconds.

SDSU’s Karen Nilson won the 400 meters in 57.99, and Diane Collier won the javelin with a throw of 147-0.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Candida Echeverria scored 22 points and Lynda Jones added 14 to help the University of San Diego snap a four-game losing streak and defeat host Pepperdine, 75-73. Paula Mascari added 12 points for USD (8-12, 4-6), which rallied from a 37-26 halftime deficit. Kristy Greenberg scored 24 points for Pepperdine (8-16, 3-7).

Shannon Anderson scored 23 points, and Camille Armijo added 13 to lead visiting Point Loma Nazarene to a 75-65 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over Fresno Pacific. Lisa Mowdy added 12 points for PLNC (16-10, 4-4), which led, 34-27, at halftime.

MEN’S TENNIS

UC San Diego swept three doubles matches and defeated Cal Lutheran, 7-2, in a nonconference match at UCSD. Francois Monnar beat Bryan Turner, 6-4, 7-5, in the No. 3 singles match to help UCSD (2-2) take a 4-2 lead. Then Monnar combined with Chris Belloli for a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Turner and George Kovacs in the No. 2 doubles match.

Tole Marinkovic defeated Matt Jackson, 6-4, 7-5, at No. 1 singles but San Diego State lost a nonconference match to Texas Tech, 7-2, in Las Vegas. Bill Kearsley defeated Michael Slauson, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 6 singles, but the Aztecs (1-6) still trailed, 4-2, going to doubles play.