LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego softball team took both games of Saturday's doubleheader against St. Martin's at Triton Softball Field. The Tritons earned a 3-0 win in the opening game as Hannah Duarte and Mo Omori combined for a shut out, and behind two home runs from freshman Lauren Sanders, UCSD took the second game, 3-2.
The Tritons improve to 3-1 on the year with the doubleheader sweep, while the Saints start off their 2015 campaign 0-2.
Game One
The Tritons pitching staff looked sharp from the start of the opening game. Duarte went the two first innings without giving up a hit and only allowing one runner to reach base on a walk, who was ulitmately thrown out by catcher Emma Schneider on a stolen base attempt.
The junior right-handed pitcher gave up her first hit of the game in the third inning on a single through the left side. She then went on to retire the next six batters before giving up her second hit of the night.
While the Duarte was dealing in the circle, the Tritons were connecting on offense. After three quiet innings, UCSD plated a run on freshman Emily Sklencar's first career RBI. Schneider started off the fourth with a single to left center. Then with Kristin George, who was pinch running for Schneider, on third, Sklencar knocked a single to left center to drive in the first run of the game.
The Tritons added on two insurance runs in the fifth. After reaching on a single, outfielder Taylor Abeyta scored on a throwing error by St. Martin's shortstop. Then with two runners in scoring position, Kelsi Maday hit a single to earn her first career RBI as well.
Duarte found herself in a jam in the top sixth with bases loaded and no outs, but Omori helped UCSD escape the inning unscathed by striking out the first batter she faced and getting the Saints to hit into a double play.
Omori finished the night by fanning three of the five batters she faced en route to earning her first save of the season. Duarte picked up her first win of 2015 while improving her ERA to 0.82.
Game Two
The Tritons jumped on the Saints early in the second game of the day. Leading of the second inning, freshman Lauren Sanders hit the first home run of 2015 on a deep shot over the center field fence, puting UCSD up 1-0.
UCSD saw its lead slip away in the fourth and fifth as St. Martin's tacked on one run in each of those innings to take the lead. But the Tritons weren't ready to give up.
Schneider led off the bottom of the sixth by reaching on a throwing by the Saints' shortstop. Then in the next at bat, Sanders once again cleared the fences. The Oakdale native's second home run of the night was enough to give the Tritons the 3-2 victory.
Lefty Alexis Edwards pitched five innings, while giving up just three hits and two runs in game two. Omori, who relieved Edwards in the sixth, picked up her first win of the season after allowing just one hit in her two innings.
UCSD returns to Triton Softball Field Sunday to finish its four-game series against St. Martin's. The first game of the doubleheader is slated to start at noon.
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