TURLOCK, Calif. - The UC San Diego softball team won all three of its games on day one of the Mizuno Tournament of Champions hosted by Cal State Stanislaus on Friday. The Tritons defeated Western Oregon in game one by a 4-0 margin before handing Seattle University a 1-0 defeat in 10 innings. UCSD concluded its first day of the prestigious tournament with a convincing 11-2 win over Saint Martin's to improve its overall record to 22-17 on the season.
Melissa Ward gave the Tritons two solid outings to begin the tournament, throwing all 17 innings during the first two wins. She allowed only three hits in the game one win over Western Oregon before giving up only five hits in the 10 inning thriller against Seattle. She improved to 17-5 on the year while lowering her ERA down to 1.28 in her 147 innings of work.
Freshman Christine Zankich picked up her first collegiate win in game two, going the distance in the 11-2 win over St. Martin's. The newcomer from Windsor, Calif., scattered seven hits while striking out two in her six full innings of work. The Tritons scored five runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning to force the mercy rule in the victory.
Danielle Lukk and Dallas Hernandez each had two hits in the game one victory as Lukk also scored two runs while Hernandez had one RBI and one run scored.
Lukk also scored the game-winning run in the 10 inning marathon with Seattle University. The junior scored on a bunt single from sophomore Jenni Habib for the thrilling victory.
In game three, the Tritons used a two-out rally in the sixth to put the game away as junior Jenny Maze belted a grand slam to force the mercy rule into effect. The dinger has her ninth of the season.
Head coach Patti Gerckens' squad returns to the field on Saturday with two more game of pool play in the tournament. The Tritons will take on Chaminade University at 4 p.m. before facing 12th-ranked Hawaii Hilo at 6 p.m. The outcome of those two games will determine the bracket that the team will play in on Sunday.
