SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. ? The Tritons completed their long weekend on the road Sunday, taking part in the Cal State San Bernardino Regional Preview Tournament. UCSD fell to Regis University by a 12-3 score in their first game, before scoring twice in the seventh to win their second game against Adams State. UCSD now holds an overall record of 7-3, while boasting a 3-1 record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association after winning their weekend series with San Francisco State on Friday and Saturday.
Both starters went the distance in the game between UCSD and Adams State, with neither side scoring through the first four innings of play. The Tritons finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. Lyndsay Gaylord found herself on second base after two errors by Adams State. Following a walk to Kristyn Lesovsky and Jennifer DeFazio also reaching on an error, Allison May picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice that allowed Gaylord to score and took out Lesovsky at third. Nicole Saari then picked up two RBIs of her own, driving in DeFazio and May.
The Grizzlies again were held scoreless and hitless in the bottom of the fifth by UCSD's Brittany Sheats. Sheats got some added protection from the offense, with Gaylord driving in Amanda Eliades to put the squad up by four.
Adams State responded in the bottom of the sixth, benefitting from an error at the top of the inning and scoring four runs, three of which were unearned. Sheats gave up only three hits in the inning and took down one run at the plate, while ending the inning with a strikeout.
With the game tied up, the Tritons avoided extra innings for the third straight game with another burst of the bats in the top of the seventh. Saari led off the inning with a double and scored the go-ahead run on Habib's triple. Eliades' single scored Habib for the insurance run. The Grizzlies scored once in the seventh and had bases loaded before two consecutive pop-ups ended their comeback opportunity.
DeFazio, Saari, Habib, and Eliades each compiled two hits. Sheats recorded her first win, allowing only two earned runs with seven strikeouts and only two walks in a complete game effort.
UCSD fell into a hole they could not climb out of against Regis University. The Rangers scored six in the top of the third and two in the top of the fifth. The Tritons were able to score twice in the bottom of the fifth after DeFazio led off with a single and Lauren Chastain tripled her in. Chastain then scored on an RBI single by Kristyn Lesovsky.
Unfortunately for the Tritons, Regis scored four more in the top of the sixth and UCSD was able to muster only one run in the bottom of the inning after DeFazio's triple scored Saari.
DeFazio and Lesovsky each went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Lesovsky also stole a base and DeFazio scored a run in the game. Starter Christine Zankich was responsible for only two earned runs, while accumulating four strikeouts, in her four innings of work.
UCSD returns home this weekend, hosting doubleheaders with Grand Canyon on Saturday and Hawaii Hilo on Sunday. Game one on Saturday is slated for a 12 p.m. start time, while first pitch on Sunday against Hawaii Hilo is scheduled for 5 p.m.
