The University of San Diego baseball team has completed a remarkable turnaround, winning their third West Coast Conference title in the past four seasons after starting the year with a dismal 3-18 record.
"We started off 6-24. When you go into the season with high expectations, winning every baseball game, when you start out not winning, I think it was like 0 and 11, it was definitely rough, definitely took a toll on our minds," said Austin Smith, USD outfielder.
What looked like a lost season for the Toreros transformed into a championship celebration following an incredible midseason revival.
"Total adversity, right?" said Brock Ungricht, USD head coach. "They never gave up on each other. They believe in one another, and I think the power of positivity is huge."
As the team struggled early, senior leadership emerged. Smith, a Granite Hills High School graduate and first team All-WCC selection, helped organize team meetings to refocus the squad.
"A little team meeting, here and there, talk about positivity, the process, and what USD baseball really is," Smith said.
The turning point came during a marathon game against a major opponent.
"Went to UCLA on the road, and won a huge game in 14 innings, and it was just like it erupted from there. That started our 10-game winning streak right into conference, and they couldn't look back from there," Ungricht said.
Smith himself contributed significantly to the turnaround, putting together an impressive 26-game hitting streak that included a crucial home run in the win over the Bruins.
Ungricht was named WCC Coach of the Year as the Toreros clinched the regular season title. The team now heads to Las Vegas as the number 1 seed in the WCC Tournament. Their first game is on Thursday.
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