LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The UC San Diego and No. 3-ranked Humboldt State softball teams split their CCAA doubleheader on Saturday as the Tritons won game one by a 5-4 score before the Lumberjacks rallied for a 7-2 victory in game two. With the split the Tritons' record goes to 24-22 overall and 15-11 in CCAA play while the Lumberjacks see their marks move to 40-5 overall and 18-2 in league action.
UCSD roughed up the CCAA's best pitcher in game one, tagging Lizzy Prescott for five runs, four of which were earned, on 11 hits in her four full innings of work. Brittni Carino, Nicole Saari, Dallas Hernandez and Allison May all had two hits apiece as the Tritons took a 5-0 lead through the first four innings. All of those players, except for Carino, had an RBI in the win for the UC San Diego.
HSU threatened in the top half of the fifth, scoring four runs on only three hits, as a costly UCSD error allowed two unearned runs to score in the frame. Meagan Sutherland and Nancy Harbeson each ended the first game with two hits in three at-bats to go along with one runs scored on one RBI.
Despite the shaky inning, Triton starter Melissa Ward shut down the Lumberjacks in both the sixth and seventh innings to preserve the narrow victory. She improved to 18-9 on the season after allowing only two earned runs on six hits with two walks and one strikeout. The complete game was her 23rd this season and the 48th of her career.
Game two looked like it would go the Tritons way as well as UCSD plated two runs on three hits in the first inning. Saari and Jenni Habib each had RBI singles in the frame.
HSU starter, Tracy Motzny, would settle down after a tough first, allowing only three UCSD hits the rest of the contest. She also got help from her offense as the Lumberjacks scored five runs in the third and two more in the fifth to account for the team's seven runs. Motzny improved to 17-2 on the season with the win.
Caitlin Klug, Sutherland and Vanessa Shernock each connected on home runs in the victory while Carolyn Cameron added three hits of her own. Chrissy Motzny chipped in with two hits and a two RBI.
UCSD starter Christine Zankich got roughed up in her five innings in the circle, allowing all seven runs on 11 hits with one walk and one strikeout. Nicole Fullerton tossed the final two innings in relief, allowing only one hit while facing the minimum number of batters.
Six different players accounted for the Tritons' six hits in the loss. In addition to the RBI singles in the first from Saari and Habib, Megan Grace, Danielle Lukk, Hernandez and Carino each added base knocks.
Head coach Patti Gerckens' and her squad will return to action on Wednesday evening, April 11th, hosting Cal State San Bernardino in a key CCAA doubleheader at Triton Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
