LA JOLLA, Calif. - After nearly battling back in game one, the UC San Diego softball team took game two for its first win of the four-game series against California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opponent Sonoma State. The Tritons dropped a heartbreaking 7-6 decision in game one, but thanks to a sixth inning insurance run from Emily Sklencar, won the final game, 3-2, on Saturday at Triton Softball Field.
The Tritons move to 16-8 overall with a 9-7 conference mark, while the Seawolves improve to 17-4 on the season and 9-2 in league play.
Game One
After the Seawolves took a one run lead in the first inning, the Tritons used a big second inning to jump in front. Freshman Lauren Sanders led off with a double to right field and later advanced to third on a passed ball. Third baseman Rachel Phillips then singled through the left side to drive in Sanders.
Then with one out, Kelsi Maday hit a two-run double down the left field line, bringing home Phillips and Emma Schneider, who reached earlier on a walk. The final run of the inning came off the bat of Taylor Abeyta, who used a single to right field to bring in the speedy Maday.
While the Tritons had a 4-1 lead, it was short lived as the Seawolves used a two-out rally to score six unearned runs on three hits for a 7-4 lead.
UCSD answered back in the bottom of the frame with a run of its own. Phillips used a bunt to record her second RBI and bring home Kendall Baker, who was pinch running for Sanders.
In the sixth inning, Bianca Devoto cut the Tritons deficit to one by driving in Schneider on a sacrifice fly to center field. However, UCSD couldn't pull ahead as they fell 7-6.
Game Two
The Tritons took an early lead in the series finale. After three scoreless innings from Alexis Edwards, Maday and Abeyta each plated a run in the bottom of the third to take pressure off the lefty.
Edwards retired the Seawolves in order in the fourth, but gave up her first run of the game in the fifth when Anica Purdy tripled to drive in Olivia Lucchese to cut UCSD's lead to 2-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sanders led off with a double down the right field line. With Kendall Woken pinch running, McKenna Clewett laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Woken to third. Then in the next at bat, Sklencar added a crucial insurance run for the Tritons on single down the left field line.
Sklencar's RBI proved its worth in the seventh inning as the Seawolves nearly tied things up when Purdy scored on an error. But Edwards stayed strong and escaped the inning to get the 3-2 win.
Edwards completed her fifth game of the season while improving her record to 7-1 with the win. She gave up just one earned run on nine hits while striking out two batters
The Tritons will have a week off before traveling to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sunday, March 22 to start a four-game series.
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