Anderson Haigler

"Sky's The Limit" for San Diego Baseball in 2023

As a chilly spring rain fell last June outside of Oregon State's Omaha Room, where College World Series trophies greet visitors before they perform their postgame media obligations at historic Goss Stadium, San Diego baseball head coach Brock Ungricht wasted no time in summarizing the impact of the Toreros' most successful season in more than a decade. "It was huge to show people what we're about….we're not going away, we're gonna be here," Ungricht said that evening after a whirlwind week that saw his team take down perennial power Vanderbilt at the oldest ballpark in college baseball. "I think it definitely puts the brand back on the map."
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University of San Diego Athletics •

A Dream Come True for Ungricht, A New Era for the Toreros

The conversation slows as the final topic is considered, then the group decides that a profile of the team's new head coach is in order. Ungricht pauses for perhaps the first time all morning as the topic is broached, then speaks quietly, a different, more serious tone than the one he took in the first hour and a half of the meeting. "The story shouldn't just be about me," he politely suggests as he motions toward the rest of the suite and the field below, where his players are getting loose
University of San Diego Athletics •

Steady As Ever, Jefferis Ready to Make a Splash in Junior Season

SAN DIEGO — Walk by Fowler Park at any given hour when there's not a game or a practice, and you'll likely hear it. It comes from the first-base side of the field, just past the visitor's dugout, and it doesn't matter whether it's day, night, or something in between — odds are, you'll hear it. "Fowler Park works," he texts the night before to confirm the meeting's location before adding a helpful hint. "I'll probably be hitting." "That guy will show up, he's not going to say a word, but
USD Student Media •

Murphy reflects, eyes future

A look at USD baseball staff ace Chris Murphy’s big season and his road ahead Nearly every time Chris Murphy takes the mound, something interesting happens. Not necessarily in the sense of what’s taking place on the field, but in what’s happening around it. Almost each time the University of San Diego baseball team’s left-handed ace kicked his right leg skyward to begin his pitching motion this past season, 10-15 men wearing baseball caps and polo shirts sitting behind home plate raised radar g
USD Student Media •

A baseball coaching shakeup

On the heels of a 23-32 season for the Toreros, change is afoot at Fowler Park. Just months after the University of San Diego baseball team’s third consecutive season in which they failed to qualify for the West Coast Conference (WCC) postseason tournament, assistant coaches Nathan Choate, Brad Marcelino, and Michael Ramazzotti resigned from their positions. Choate, Marcelino, and Ramazzotti served as the team’s pitching, hitting, and volunteer assistant coach, respectively. USD baseball head c
USD Student Media •

A walk-off win for #1,000

It was only a matter of time. When the University of San Diego head baseball coach Rich Hill entered the 2018 season with 979 career NCAA wins, it was assumed he would reach the milestone of 1,000 victories within the year. The only question was when. This past Sunday, the stage was set for the Toreros to earn their coach that mark as they took on Gonzaga University in their final home weekend series of the year. His team certainly did not disappoint. In a wild game that spanned 11 innings, USD
USD Student Media •

UC Irvine outlasts USD in extras

Tuesday nights in college baseball are often characterized by high-scoring, offense-dominated games. With conference series often looming in the weekend ahead, many coaches lean heavily on their bullpen to preserve their starting pitching for the weekend, leading to games that resemble more of a slugfest than a pitcher’s duel. USD’s game against the University of California, Irvine last week, however, only partially matched that stereo
USD Student Media •

A look ahead at USD Baseball

As the beginning of the college baseball season approaches, University of San Diego head baseball coach Rich Hill remains firm in his team’s goal for the season. “Our goal is reaching the College World Series and winning a national championship,” Hill said. The Toreros’ pursuit of that goal begins with a challenging slate of non-conference games against the likes of the University of Cincinnati, the University of Michigan, the University of Arizona, and Indiana University. While opening the se
USD Student Media •

Hunter Mercado-Hood: USD’s under-the-radar star

Hunter Mercado-Hood is in his last year at the University of San Diego, and he is determined to make it a good one. Mercado-Hood, a senior outfielder for the USD baseball team, is hitting a career best .335 this season and has had a stellar year so far with the Toreros. According to Mercado-Hood, part of his career year has been taking on a bigger role as a player and as a leader. “It has been a really fun year as a senior,” Mercado-Hood said. “We have a very close group of guys who really care