Menlo Upsets No. 13 UC San Diego Men

Menlo College used a 9-0 spurt in the second half to upset No. 13 UC San Diego, 80-68, in a nonconference men’s basketball game at Menlo.

UCSD broke a 33-33 halftime tie and pulled to a 37-36 lead early in the second half. But Menlo (17-6) went on the 9-0 surge and slowly pulled away for its second victory in three games against UCSD (17-5), which is ranked No. 1 among NCAA Division III teams in the West Region. Menlo is ranked No. 5 in the West.

Menlo’s Trent Tilby scored 20 points. Rick Batt had 14 and Tim Rapp 13 for the Tritons.

Christian Heritage avenged an early-season loss to Fresno Pacific with an 86-74 victory over the Sunbirds at Grossmont College. Mark Kraatz had 29 points, and Brad Soucie added 18 for CHC (22-5). Fresno Pacific is 16-9.

CYCLING

Three races--a collegiate invitational, an amateur event and a senior pro race--will be held today at the University of San Diego. All three will span 75 minutes on a course starting behind Serra Hall.

The college race, including participants from USD, UC San Diego, San Diego State, Stanford and UCLA, begins at 8 a.m., followed by the amateur race at 9:45 a.m. and the pros at 12:55 p.m.

Three races will be held again on Sunday with an altered course. Sunday’s professional event will start at 12:30 p.m.

BASEBALL

Point Loma Nazarene (0-1-1) and Occidental College (1-2-1) tied, 7-7, in a nonconference game at Occidental. Point Loma’s David Swearingen and Wayne Denham, both freshmen, hit home runs for the first hits in their college careers.

St. Mary’s routed host USD, 8-1, in a West Coast Conference game. St. Mary’s (2-3, 1-0) was led by Ryan Haley and Craig Billeci, who hit home runs in the top of the ninth. USD is 2-1, 0-1.

U.S. International overcame an 11-0 deficit after the first inning and went on to defeat host Grand Canyon College, 15-14, in a nonconference game. Sophomore Jeff Matranga pitched 8 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run and striking out seven, for the victory.

Designated hitter Kyle Sebach, a freshman from Santana, had three hits--including two doubles--for four RBIs to lead USIU (2-3).

Freshman Taakati Sugiyama, from Japan, drove in the winning run with a single up the middle in the eighth.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Point Loma Nazarene (13-8) defeated host UCSD, 76-70, in a nonconference game.

Guard Camille Armijo scored a game-high 25 points. Forward Cari Young led UCSD (12-8) with 20.

MEN’S TENNIS

USD’s Jose Luis Noriega, seeded second, advanced to the semifinals of the National Indoor Rolex Collegiate Tennis Championships at the University of Minnesota.

Noriega defeated LSU’s Johan Milbrink, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, in the round of 16 and USC’s Byron Black, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.