Root, Root, Root for the Hometown Kid

Batter up with Torero Baseball

JAREK MORGAN / ASST. SPORTS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

The sound of a baseball hitting a glove gives the warm feeling that spring is upon us. There is nothing like the thunderous crack of a bat, a box of crackerjacks, a fresh hotdog from the grill, and a packed stadium singing “Take me out to the ball game” to let you know USD Baseball is back. 

The USD program has earned its right to be in the conservation of historic universities in collegiate baseball. Boasting such alumni as Major League Baseball (MLB) players Brian Matusz (former first round draft pick with the Baltimore Orioles)  and 2016 National League Most Valuable Player and World Series Champion Kris Bryant (Chicago Cubs). Looking at this year, the traditions still stand. Poised to make a run into the postseason, USD is excited for what is on the horizon. 

First year head coach Brock Ungricht has instilled a locker room mentality that is built on the idea of family first. 

“This team has given itself a culture that every guy has bought into organically,” Ungricht said. “The attitudes that these guys have with each other is absolutely priceless, and you just can’t put a value on how important it is for each player to buy into the system of success.” 

Currently tied for fourth place in the always tough West Coast Conference (WCC), with a record of 9-6, USD is hitting its stride at the perfect time of year. Winning at all phases of the game, the Toreros have shown that the offseason work required to be special is best seen on the field. 

“The guys this year have a huge chip on their shoulder,” Ungricht said. “We know what we have to do. Watching these men this year, I know that every guy is going to give his all for his brother and it is a special thing to see.” 

With every player fully committed to the system, finding a standout talent like sophomore third baseman Kevin Sim to take the game one step further with his performance so far this spring is truly incredible to see. 

A San Diego local from just up the road at Torrey Pines Highschool, Sim appreciates the support from his community. 

“It is such a cool feeling having all my friends and family being able to support me and keep up with my progress,” Sim said. “I never get tired of looking at my phone and seeing that my friends are asking me when my next game will be so that they can come out and watch me play.”

After being named the WCC Player of the Week over spring break, Sim batted 5-for-15 (.333) across a mid-week matchup against University of California, San Diego on March 8, and a three-game series at Grand Canyon University (GCU) from March 11 through March 13. Sim belted two home runs and two doubles, along with three RBIs, three walks, and four runs scored across the four games. He went 3-for-4 last Friday against the Lopes and homered against GCU on Saturday and Sunday. His homer in Sunday’s series finale gave the Toreros the lead en route to a 7-5 win. For the year, Sim is batting .377 (20-for-53) with four doubles, seven home runs and 20 RBIs. This is both Sim and USD’s first WCC weekly honors this season. 

The pedigree for success does not come overnight. It takes hard work in the quiet hours. The little things that go unnoticed to the average spectator is what drives athletes to continue on the path of commitment. 

Sim spent his offseason playing in the Northwoods Leagues, a collegiate summer baseball league sponsored by the MLB. All players in the league must have National Collegiate Athletic Administration (NCAA) eligibility remaining in order to participate. A highly competitive league that garners top-tier college talent, the experience helped Sim to continue to work on his craft, something that didn’t go unnoticed by his coach. 

“Kevin faced so much adversity playing baseball this summer and I see now how that rhythm has helped him get so many at bats under his belt to feel comfortable,” Ungricht said. 

During the summer, Sim was hit in the face by a baseball and fractured bones in his face. While others may have taken the injury as a moment to relax and mentally get ready for the upcoming year, Sim decided that simply would not work for him. 

“Every day this guy was calling me and texting me saying ‘Hey coach, I really want to get back out there playing baseball, would you be ok with that?’” Ungricht said. “I’m saying to him as long as you’re healthy and the doctors give you the okay I am here to support you. That takes dedication that is unlike a lot of things I have seen from players before.” 

Sim is looking to build off of his recent accomplishments with the team’s strong performance moving forward. Being a large part of the Toreros’ success with the goal of leading them back to the postseason for the first time since 2013, Sim and every player on this roster is going to play a vital role in the remaining season.

The baseball team played three games over the weekend against Pepperdine University. The team lost the opening game and then turned in two stellar team performances to finish the weekend on top of the series. 

Senior Garrett Rennie turned in five solid innings on the mound but USD Baseball couldn’t find the runs to support him, dropping its first WCC game of the season to Pepperdine by a 3-0 margin on Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

First-year Justin DeCriscio led the Toreros with two hits on Friday, followed by one-hit performances from sophomores Chase Meidroth, Jack Costello, Kevin Sim, and redshirt sophomore outfielder Camden Vasquez. 

In the second game, USD Baseball took an early lead and never looked back, tying up the series with Pepperdine with an 8-1 win at Eddy D. Field Stadium that featured big performances from sophomores Meidroth, pitcher Brycen Mautz, and Sim. 

Meidroth began the game with a leadoff home run, clobbering the second pitch he saw over Eddy D. Field Stadium’s left field fence to give USD an early lead and notch his third longball of the season 

Mautz turned in yet another dominant start on the mound on Saturday, scattering eight hits across six innings while walking none, striking out eight, and allowing just one run before he earned his team-best fourth win of the season to move to 4-1 in 2022. 

In the final game of the weekend, excellent relief pitching and another big game at the plate earned the Toreros a series victory on the afternoon of Sunday, March 20, downing Pepperdine by a 6-3 margin at Eddy D. Field Stadium to take two of three from the Waves. 

The series win puts USD at 11-7 for the season so far, and 2-1 in the WCC. 

San Diego plays a three-game series matchup with Saint Mary’s this weekend March 25 through 27. 

The Toreros will hope to keep Sim and the team’s momentum going as they look to what the future holds for the program and for this season.