LA JOLLA, Calif. - The top-ranked UC San Diego softball team overcame a two-run deficit in both games of its Friday doubleheader with Northwest Nazarene University, taking down the Crusaders 8-5 and 5-2 in non-conference play at Triton Softball Field.
UCSD (2-0) and NNU (0-2) will face-off in another doubleheader on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. on the campus of UCSD.
"It's a good way to start the season, we had a lot of good offense and I like the way the team punched-back when (Northwest Nazarene) went up on us. We bounced back today. We knew there would be some obstacles to overcome," said UCSD head coach Patti Gerckens.
Game 1 -
Jennifer Manuel put the Tritons ahead with a two-run double in a four-run fourth inning by UCSD, propelling the Tritons to an 8-5 win in the first action of the season.
Down 5-3 after surrendering five runs in the top of the fourth, UCSD second baseman Monique Portugal led-off with a single up the middle. Emily McQuaid laid down a bunt single to the third baseman, but Chelsea Allsbrook's late throw sailed into right field. Portugal advanced to third, then took home when the Crusaders left the plate unguarded.
After Mya Romero moved McQuaid over to third with a sacrifice bunt, McQuaid scored on a squeeze bunt by Dyanna Imoto to make it 5-5. Tess Granath followed with a weak chopper to third, but Allsbrook misplayed the bounce, allowing the Tritons to put two aboard with one out. The runners moved to second and third on a groundout to the pitcher by Charly Swanberg.
Manuel worked deep into the count before driving a hard grounder up the middle into the right-center field fence, bringing home Granath and Imoto to give the Tritons a 7-5 lead. Manuel added another RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to hand the Tritons their final run after Nicole Spangler and Swanberg connected with consecutive singles.
Camille Gaito (1-0) earned the win, giving up five earned runs in six innings of work with five strikeouts. All of those runs came in the top of the fourth inning. Kayla Hensel worked the final half-inning of the game without surrendering a hit, registering the save in her first career appearance.
Manuel was 2-for-3 with three RBI while Swanberg went 3-for-4 with an RBI. McQuaid scored twice and batted 2-for-3.
UCSD jumped out to a one-run lead on an RBI double by Swanberg in the bottom of the first. NNU responded by loading the bases with one out its next at bat, but Romero made a diving catch at shortstop before doubling-up the runner at third to help the Tritons escape unscathed.
The Tritons made it 3-0 in the second inning, as Kirsten Willmon scored on an error by Arielle Chao and McQuaid scored on a wild pitch from Cara Duckworth (0-1).
The Crusaders responded with a five-run fourth aided by some wayward pitching. Gaito hit the first two batters of the inning before Kristin Refsland laid down a bunt single to load the bases with no out. Chelsey Anderson struck out, but Gaito walked the next batter to allow Allsbrook to score. Brianna Kinghorn pinch-hit for Kendra Day and subsequently doubled to left field to make it 3-3. The Crusaders scored on a fielder's choice before Baylee Joliffe added an RBI single to put NNU up 5-3.
However, it would be last time the Crusaders would score, as Gaito and Hensel combined to surrender zero hits the rest of the way.
Game 2 -
Romero connected on a three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Tritons a 5-2 victory in the evening affair at Triton Softball Field.
NNU led 2-0 in the middle of the third inning, but Tess Granath's sacrifice fly to center scored McQuaid and a bases-loaded walk to Manuel brought the Tritons even at 2-2.
The score remained the same until the sixth inning, when Spangler singled with two out into left field. Portugal drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Caitlin Brown came on as a pinch-hitter and was hit on the elbow by the second pitch she saw. McQuaid re-entered the game for Brown with Romero at bat.
The sophomore shortstop fouled off a couple of pitches before lifting a blooper into right center. The NNU outfield had shifted to the left field line for Romero, allowing the ball to drop in the open space while giving enough time for all three runners to clear the bases.
Michelle Escamilla, who came in as a reliever in the top-half of the fifth, sat-down three batters with strikeouts to earn the win in her first career appearance (1-0). Manuel started game two and went 4.2 innings with three strikeouts.
McQuaid finished the day 3-for-5 with four runs scored while Manuel was 2-for-5 with four RBI. Romero went 3-for-7 with 3 RBI and a run scored. Swanberg and Romero tied for the team-lead with four total bases.
