TURLOCK, Calif. ? The UC San Diego softball team, ranked 8th nationally, staged another late-inning comeback to salvage a doubleheader split Saturday on the road against Cal State Stanislaus.

Game one featured a tremendous pitching duel between UCSD ace Melissa Ward and CSUS starter Jessica Gaumnitz. Ward and Gaumnitz held the lineups scoreless through the opening six innings.

The Tritons collected three runs in the top of the seventh inning, a rally sustained by two CSUS errors and capped off by an RBI double from senior Jenny Maze. The Warriors countered with three of their own scores off Ward, two of which were unearned.

After 15 outs of scoreless ball in extra innings, CSUS catcher and No. 7 hitter Jessica Scholl came through with a two-out walk-off single that secured the 4-3 victory. In total, Ward threw 9.2 innings while allowing just three runs and striking out six batters.

The Warriors carried their momentum into the early part of the second game, scoring two runs in the first inning, one in the second and another in the fourth to knock out UCSD starter Lauren Chastain with the Tritons down 4-0. With its back against the wall, the UCSD attack rallied for a big five-run six inning to take the lead. The scoring spree included two-run doubles from sophomore Nicole Saari and junior Megan Grace.

Triton reliever Christine Zankich threw three scoreless innings to earn her third victory of the season while her teammates added two insurance runs in the final frame to take the 7-4 win.

Maze went 2-for-3 in the second game and extended her hitting streak to 10 games.

UCSD improves to 21-9 overall, including an 11-7 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. The 2-2 weekend moves CSUS to 11-15 overall and 8-8 in league action.

The Tritons have a week off for exam time but return to play a two-game set at home with Point Loma on March 25.