June 3, 2006

FULLERTON, CA - Junior catcher Jordan Abruzzo hit three of San Diego's five home runs on the day and USD scored in every inning but the fifth as the third-seeded Toreros avoided elimination by outslugging No. 4 Saint Louis, 19-12, on day two of the 2006 NCAA Baseball Regionals on Saturday afternoon at Goodwin Field.

USD (33-24) awaits the loser of Saturday night's battle between top-seeded Cal State Fullerton and No. 2 Fresno State in the regional's second elimination game on Sunday afternoon at 5:05 p.m. PDT.

The Billikens, who qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1966 this season, finished their year at 32-29 overall.

The two teams combined for 32 hits, 18 of those by the Toreros.

Abruzzo was a perfect 5-for-5 on the day with three home runs, a bases-clearing double, and eight driven in to power the Toreros' offense, which put up six runs in the second and seven more in the eighth to snap a 12-12 tie en route to the win.

Justin Snyder and Josh Romanski also homered for San Diego, which had every starter notch a base hit in the game. Daniel Magness finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored for USD while three other Toreros finished with two hits.

Romanski (5-4) earned the win in relief, allowing four runs on three hits in two innings of work. Eric Mueller (0-3) suffered the loss, allowing five earned runs on one hit and walking six in just two-thirds of an inning.

The Billikens, who trailed 10-0 after four innings, rallied to tie the game in the eighth as Matt Mach's two-run single capped a four-run frame after an RBI single by Johnny Sweeney and a bases-loaded walk to B.J. Rodrigue.

The Toreros then bounced back in their half of the inning, as an error scored pinch-runner Michael Lugo with the go-ahead run and kick-started a seven-run eruption en route to the victory.