LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The UC San Diego softball team split a Tuesday evening doubleheader with Cal State Bakersfield, winning game one by a 5-0 score before dropping the nightcap by a 1-0 margin. With the split the Tritons' record goes to 29-23 overall and 20-12 in CCAA play while the Roadrunners' record moves to 28-20-1 overall and 20-14 in league action.
UCSD scored two runs in the first inning of game one on a 2-run homerun off the bat of freshman Amanda Eliades. The blast was the first of her collegiate career and scored Danielle Lukk who led off the inning with a single.
The Tritons added three more runs in the fifth inning. Randelle Bundy picked up a RBI on a fielder's choice while Brittni Carino sacrificed home another run with her perfect suicide squeeze bunt.
Melissa Ward picked up her 23rd victory on the season after allowing only two hits while striking out one in six full innings of work. Christine Zankich tossed the final inning and loaded the bases by allowing one hit and walking two before closing out the game and securing the shutout for the UCSD.
Kristyn Daniels took the loss for the Roadrunners and fell to 16-10 on the season. She allowed only two earned runs while scattering seven hits.
In game two, both teams were held scoreless through the first six innings by stellar pitching from Ward and CSUB's Katie Chavez. Chavez, however, was able to shut the door on the Tritons in the seventh while Ward gave up an RBI bloop single to right field by Elise Deering, scoring Cara Klein in the bottom half of the inning for the 1-0 victory.
Chavez improves to 7-3 on the season with the win for the Roadrunners while Ward drops to 23-10. Klein, who scored the game-winning run, had two of CSUB's seven hits in the game while Bundy and Jenni Habib each had two of the Tritons' six hits in the loss.
UCSD will conclude its CCAA schedule this weekend with four games at Chico State. Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch while Saturday's twin bill is slated to begin at 11 a.m. The Tritons will then conclude their regular season with a 12 p.m. doubleheader at home against Cal State San Marcos on Saturday, April 28.
