LAS VEGAS – Coming back after a 14-inning marathon earlier in the day, Saint Mary’s defeated San Diego, 9-8, to win the 2025 West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament Championship and earn the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.
Saint Mary’s won its second Conference tournament in West Coast Conference history and the Gaels will be appearing in their second NCAA Tournament in program history. The Gaels won their first West Coast Conference Tournament in 2016.
After fighting off elimination in the first game of the day, USD carried its momentum from the previous victory by going up 2-0 in the top of the second when AJ Beltre blasted a two-run homer to left. Saint Mary’s answered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run, two-out single to right by Tanner Griffith.
In the top of the third, Jack Gurevitch clubbed a two-run homer to right, putting the Toreros back up by two at 4-2. The hit by Gurevitch set the Conference tournament record for hits with 11. He ended the tournament with 12.
The Gaels produced three runs over the next two innings to take a 4-3 lead after four by Rex Watson smashed a solo home run for the Toreros to tie the game at four in the sixth.
The slugfest all day between these two teams went all day down to the very end. In the bottom of the eight, Ryan Pierce clubbed a bases-clearing three-run triple to break the tie and put SMC up by three. Brian Duroff later doubled down the left field line to score Pierce in what proved to be the championship-clinching run.
Down by four in the top of the ninth, the reigning Conference tournament champions did not go down without a fight, collecting three runs before falling to the Gaels.
The Gaels set multiple tournament records including hits (69), runs (63), walks (31) and doubles (18). In addition, Eddie Madrigal set a player tournament record for runs scored with 13.
The NCAA Selection Show will air on Monday at 9 a.m.
2025 West Coast Conference Baseball All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player - Eddie Madrigal, Saint Mary’s
Beau Ankeney, LMU
Nate Savoie, LMU
Jack Gurevitch, San Diego
Aden Howard, San Diego
Rex Watson, San Diego
Daniel Guevara Castro, Saint Mary’s
Dylan Delvecchio, Saint Mary’s
Jared Mettam, Saint Mary’s
Ryan Pierce, Saint Mary’s