LA JOLLA, Calif. - With the game tied at 3-3, freshman infielder Maddy Lewis laid down a walk-off suicide squeeze bunt that brought home sophomore outfielder Kelsi Maday from third in the bottom of the seventh inning as the 25th-ranked UC San Diego softball team defeated Cal State East Bay 4-3 in the second game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader, Friday at Triton Softball Field. UCSD was victorious in game one by a score of 2-0.
With the sweep, the Tritons improve to 20-10 overall and 14-8 in conference play. The Pioneers drop to a 9-17 overall record and 6-14 in the CCAA.
Game One - UC San Diego 2, Cal State East Bay 0
Senior left-handed pitcher Lexi Edwards gave UCSD a six-hit, complete game shutout with as the Tritons won 2-0.
UCSD got the first run in the bottom of the fourth as senior outfielder Taylor Abeyta got a bunt for a base hit and scored senior outfielder Kristin George.
In the fifth inning, sophomore catcher Lauren Sanders grounded out, but was still able to bring home Maday from third.
CSUEB's best chances of scoring came in the top of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Edwards was able to strike out Ashley Allen for the second out. On the next at bat, freshman infielder Darian Van Der Maaten could not initially make a diving catch on Belle Placencia's blooper, but was able to grab the ball and throw it to first for the third out as the Pioneers stranded three.
The Tritons stole eight bases as a team in the game, led by Abeyta's three swipes. Abeyta had two hits and one RBI. George recorded two hits and one run. Edwards grabbed the win with four strikeouts and the loss went to Sierra Clark.
Game Two – UC San Diego 4, Cal State East Bay 3
UCSD walked-off in game two, 4-3, with a bunt from Lewis that scored Maday in the bottom of the seventh. After getting on base, Maday stole second and then third to make the suicide squeeze an option. With one out, Lewis laid a bunt that was picked up by CSUEB pitcher Tatiana Beilstein, who then tossed the ball to the catcher at home, but Maday was ruled safe.
The Tritons scored one run each in the first three frames. Lewis hit a sacrifice bunt that scored Maday in the first inning.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Abeyta was able to bring home sophomore designated player Sam Glantz on a fielder's choice. Pioneer catcher Ali Cerminara had an opportunity to get Glantz out at home, but ended up dropping the ball as UCSD took a 2-0 lead.
CSUEB scored a run in the third frame to cut the margin to one. Lewis led off the bottom of the third inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third when Cerminara's attempt to catch her stealing ended up in the outfield. Sanders then hit an RBI single to score Lewis.
The Pioneers evened the score, 3-3, in the fifth inning as Cerminara hit a two-run single to score Courtney Leyba and Marisa Lerma.
The Tritons stole six more bases, with Maday swiping three, for a league-leading total of 73. Edwards (9-3) grabbed the win in 0.2 innings of relief. Freshman right-handed pitcher Laurne Brown started the game and gave up three earned runs in 4.2 innings with three strikeouts. Lewis had two hits, one run and one RBI. Maday recorded two runs in the contest.
UCSD closes out the four-game series against CSUEB on Saturday, March 26 with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
#TritonsRising
