TURLOCK, Calif. - The UC San Diego softball team dropped both games on day two of the Best of the West Tournament hosted by Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday afternoon. The Tritons lost game one to Notre Dame de Namur by a 9-6 score before narrowly falling in game two by a 1-0 margin to CSU Monterey Bay. The losses push UCSD's season record to 1-3 on the year.
The 9-6 loss to NDNU was difficult for the young UCSD team to swallow as four errors led to five unearned runs. Junior Nicole Fullerton took the loss and fell to 0-1 on the season after tossing 4 1/3 innings in which she allowed seven runs, only two of which were earned, on six hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
Junior Danielle Lukk had two of the team's six hits in game one while senior Nikki Palmer connected on a 3-run home run, her first of the season.
Game two was again decided on an error as the lone run in the game that was scored by CSUMB came by way of a UCSD error. Junior Melissa Ward pitched well for the Tritons in the loss, going the distance and allowing the unearned run on four hits.
The Triton offense managed only one hit in the contest, coming off the bat of Palmer. The CSUMB pitcher, Jessica Boyle, picked up the complete game shutout, allowing the one hit while walking two and striking out four.
Head coach Patti Gerckens' squad concluded play at the tournament on Sunday with games against CCAA rivals Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State. The games will count on the overall records of the teams but not in the league standings.
