MODESTO, Calif. - The UC San Diego softball team split its California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader against No. 3 Humboldt State, Thursday at Rainbow Fields, a neutral site. The Tritons fell in game one, 5-4, in ten innings. UCSD won game two, 6-5, after a solid start. The doubleheader was a make-up after a four-game series between the Tritons and Lumberjacks in Arcata was rained out on March 4-5.
With the split, UCSD is now 21-13 overall and 15-11 in conference play. HSU suffered only its third defeat of the season and are 25-3-1 overall and 20-2 in the CCAA.
GAME ONE – Humboldt State 5, UC San Diego 4 (10 innings)
HSU's Breonna Bejaran hit an RBI single to score Tiffany Hollingsworth from second in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Tritons fell, 5-4. UCSD was one out away from ending the game in the seventh with a 4-2 advantage, but HSU forced extras by bringing in two.
The Lumberjacks struck in the bottom of the first to start. Hanna Holland doubled to get on and then stole third. Sophomore catcher Lauren Sanders tried to catch Holland stealing, but ended up committing a throwing error as Holland came home.
The Tritons evened the score in the top of the third as freshman infielder Maddy Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to score sophomore outfielder Kelsi Maday. HSU took back the lead in the fourth frame. With Kalyn Paque on second, Kelly Sonnemann laid down a bunt to senior left-handed pitcher Lexi Edwards, who could not make an accurate throw to first as Paque reached home.
UCSD answered with a run in the top of the fifth to tie the game once again. Lumberjack shortstop Cydni Chavez could not field Lewis's hit to her cleanly as Maday was able to score from third.
The Tritons grabbed their first lead in the sixth with two runs for a 6-4 advantage. Sophomore outfielder Emily Sklencar tripled and sophomore Sam Glantz, who came as a pinch hitter, was walked to begin the inning. Sophomore Kendall Woken, who came in to pinch run for Glantz, stole second and Sklencar reached home on the catcher's throw to second base. Later in the frame, freshman infielder Darian Van Der Maaten hit an RBI single to score Woken.
The Tritons were one out away from a win, but HSU was able to plate two in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Holland hit a two-run single up the middle to even the score and force extras.
In the bottom of the 10th, Breonna Bejaran hit a walk-off RBI single to bring home Tiffany Hollingsworth.
Edwards (9-5) took the loss, throwing 9.2 innings, giving up five runs, three earned, and striking out three. Katie Obbema (12-2) grabbed the win in 10 innings pitched, giving up four runs, two earned, and striking out seven.
Holland led the way for the Lumberjacks with two hits, one run, two RBI and two stolen bases. Sklencar recorded three hits, and one run. Van Der Maaten provided two hits and one RBI.
GAME TWO - UC San Diego 6, Humboldt State 5
UCSD was able to jump on HSU early and hung on for a 6-5 victory in game two. The Tritons scored six runs in the first four innings to their advantage.
UCSD plated two in the top of the first. With Maday at second and Lewis on first, Glantz hit an RBI single to score Maday. Sophomore catcher Lauren Sanders hit into a fielder's choice, but was still able to bring home Lewis for the second score.
The Tritons added one run in the second for a 3-0 advantage as Maday doubled to left field to plate senior outfielder Taylor Abeyta. The Lumberjacks answered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs to cut the margin to one. With the bases loaded, HSU's Holland hit a ground out RBI. The other Lumberjack score came on a passed ball.
Sanders blasted a solo home run, her second of the season, in the top of the third. Sanders came through once again in the fourth as she hit a two-run single to right field to bring home Lewis and Van Der Maaten as UCSD took a 6-2 lead.
HSU scored two in the bottom of the fourth as Holland laced a two-RBI single to left field with runners on second and third. Holland struck again in the fifth with an RBI double to cut the Triton lead to one.
Edwards was brought in for the last two frames and was able to keep the Lumberjacks off the scoreboard for the UCSD win.
“The team fought hard against a strong Humboldt team,” said head coach Patti Gerckens. “I was proud of how well Lexi pitched in both games. Overall it was a good day with some clutch hitting.”
Senior right-handed pitcher Hannah Duarte (3-3) grabbed the win in 1.1 innings pitched. Freshman right-handed pitcher Lauren Brown pitched the next 3.2 innings. Edwards threw the last two frames, gave up only one hit, and got her fourth save of the season. HSU's Madison Williams (12-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
Sanders led the Tritons with two hits, four RBIs and one run. Maday had two hits one RBI and one run. Holland recorded three hits and four RBIs for the Lumberjacks.
UCSD will stay in Northern California and play six more games in the next three days at the Tournament of Champions, presented by the City of Turlock and hosted by Stanislaus State. The Tritons face Saint Martin's at 9 a.m., followed by Western Washington at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 1.
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