CHICO, Calif. – The UC San Diego softball team opened up its four-game series against Chico State by sweeping the Wildcats with back-to-back shutouts at Wildcats Softball Field on Friday. UCSD took the series opener with a 1-0 decision in eight innings before winning the nightcap, 3-0.
The Tritons recorded their first doubleheader sweep since taking two games from Cal State Stanislaus on February 21. Friday was also the first time UCSD shutout an opponent in both games of a doubleheader since demolishing San Francisco State 8-0 and 1-0 on February 14.
The Tritons improve to 21-15 overall on the season with a 11-11 mark in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), while the Wildcats drop to 20-12 overall with a 13-9 league mark.
Game One
The series opener was a pitchers' duel between junior Hannah Duarte and Haley Gilham. Duarte had a stellar performance in the circle, finishing the night with three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.
In the first inning, Duarte retired three straight batters while stranding a runner at third after allowing a lead off hit. The right-handed pitcher once again prevented a runner from scoring from third in the second inning. Desiree Gonzalez led off the inning with a triple and Tori Zimmermann followed with a walk. Duarte caught the next batter looking before getting Courtney Brown to hit into a fielder's choice, getting Gonzalez out at home.
After a perfect third inning, Duarte gave up a walk followed by a single before getting Skowrup to hit into a double play to end the inning. Duarte finished regulation pitching a perfect fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
The Tritons finally broke through with a run in the eighth inning. With one out, UCSD loaded the bases on a single by Lauren Sanders, a single by McKenna Clewett and an error to put Kelsi Maday. Then with Bianca Devoto pinch hitting, the sophomore infielder drew a walk to bring in the only run of the game.
Duarte returned to the circle in the bottom of the frame and retired the side to secure the 1-0 victory.
Game Two
In the nightcap, the Tritons used a three run fourth inning to shut out an opponent for the eighth time this season in a 3-0 win. With left-handed pitcher Alexis Edwards getting the start in the circle, UCSD held Chico State to just three total hits.
Edwards started the game off giving up a leadoff walk before retiring five straight batters. In her first three innings Edwards allowed just one runner per inning on base on a walk.
The Tritons got on the board earlier in the second game. Kendall Baker and Kristin George led off the frame with back-to-back singles. Clewett then drove in Baker on a bunt to third base. Maday then cleared the bases in the next at bat on a double to right field to put UCSD up 3-0.
Edwards came out and tossed a scoreless fourth and fifth inning giving up just a hit and a walk in both frames combined. In the sixth Brynn Lesovsky, assistant coach Kris Lesovsky's younger sister, led off the inning with a single up the middle. Duarte then came in to replace Edwards and finished the game giving up just one hit and one walk en route to her second save of the season. Edwards (9-5) finished the night giving up two hits and four walks in 5.1 innings pitched.
The Tritons will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.
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