TURLOCK, Calif. ? The UC San Diego softball team began its 2006 season with a split on the first day of competition at the Best of the West Tournament hosted by Cal State Stanislaus on Friday in Turlock, Calif. The Tritons won their season opener by beating Central Washington 6-1 before falling to No. 1-ranked Humboldt State in the second game by a 4-0 score.

Jenny Spencer and Desiree Franciscus combined for six of the nine UCSD hits in game one as Spencer went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI while Franciscus went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Brittni Carino, Danielle Lukk and Nikki Palmer accounted for the other three UCSD hits with Palmer having an RBI double.

Melissa Ward picked up the win for the Tritons, throwing a complete game in which she allowed only one earned run on seven hits while striking out two.

Game two was far less kind for UCSD, facing the top-ranked team in the country according to the first coaches' poll that was released earlier in the week. Humboldt State pitcher Tracy Motzny threw a complete game 3-hitter against the Tritons in the season opener for the Lumberjacks. Spencer, Carino and Franciscus each accounted for one hit in the loss.

HSU got two hits and two RBI from second baseman Caitlin Klug while Megan Sutherland added two hits and another RBI in the victory.

Nicole Fullerton took the loss for UCSD in game two, allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on six hits. She also walked for in the contest.

The Tritons will play two more games on day two of the tournament on Saturday, taking on Notre Dame de Namur at 1:15 p.m. before playing Grand Canyon University at 3:45 p.m.