LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 25th-ranked UC San Diego softball team suffered two losses to Cal State East Bay in a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader, Saturday at Triton Softball Field. UCSD fell 1-0 in game one and 13-1 in game two. The two teams split the four-game series as the Tritons swept the Pioneers in a doubleheader on Friday.
UCSD drops to a 20-12 overall record and a 14-10 conference record. CSUEB improves to 11-18 overall and 8-14 in CCAA play.
Game One - Cal State East Bay 1, UC San Diego 0
CSUEB pitcher Sierra Clark pitched seven innings and gave up only two hits and one walk as UCSD was defeated 1-0.
The two teams did not score for the first six innings. In the top of the seventh, Gabby Gonzalez hit an RBI single to plate Courtney Leyba as the Pioneers took a 1-0 lead. The Tritons were then retired in order in the bottom of the inning.
Clark (5-7) was credited with the win and had eight strikeouts. Senior left-handed pitcher Lexi Edwards (9-4) took the loss, striking out four in seven innings pitched.
Gonzalez led CSUEB with three hits and one RBI. The two UCSD hits came from freshman infielder Darian Van Der Maaten and sophomore infielder Rachel Phillips.
Game Two - Cal State East Bay 13, UC San Diego 1
UCSD gave up a season-high 13 runs to CSUEB and could only muster one run that came in the bottom of the seventh and lost 13-1.
The Pioneers scored two runs in the second with RBIs coming from Rose Marston and Gonzalez. CSUEB scored two more in the fifth as Clark scored Gonzalez and Ashley Allen brought home Marisa Lerma.
The Pioneers added one more in the sixth and scored eight runs in the seventh for a 13-0 lead.
The Tritons were able to score a run in the bottom of the seventh to avoid getting shut out. Senior outfielder Kristin George was able to get on base with a bunt and was brought home by sophomore infielder Kendall Baker.
Senior right-handed pitcher Hannah Duarte (2-3) took the loss as she threw five innings and gave up nine runs. Tatiana Beilstein (4-8) threw a complete game, giving up one run and striking out five for CSUEB.
George went perfect from the plate and had one run. Clark led the Pioneers with three hits, three RBIs and one run. Marston had three hits, two RBIs and three runs.
UCSD will take a break from conference play and head to the three-day Tournament of Champions, hosted by Stanislaus State. The Tritons will play Saint Martin's and Western Washington on Friday, April 1, MSU Billings and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, April 2 and Concordia (Ore.) and Central Washington on Sunday, April 3.
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