TURLOCK, Calif. - The UC San Diego softball team bounced back after an 0-2 start to the Tournament of Champions, presented by the City of Turlock, with two wins against MSU Billings and Northwest Nazarene, Saturday at Pedretti Sports Complex. The Tritons took down the Yellowjackets 5-4 in their first game and the Crusaders 8-5 in game two.
With the pair of wins, UCSD improves to 23-15. MSUB is now 9-22 on the year. NNU drops to 13-19.
GAME ONE - UC San Diego 5, MSU Billings 4
Down by one run, UCSD scored two in the top of the seventh and shut the door in the bottom of the inning to prevail over MSUB, 5-4.
The Tritons scored the first run of the game in the top of the second. Sophomore catcher Lauren Sanders singled, took second on a sacrifice bunt from senior infielder McKenna Clewett and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sanders was brought home on a sacrifice fly from senior outfielder Taylor Abeyta.
The Yellowjackets struck for two in the bottom of the second with solo home runs from Myrissa Prince and Kelsey Devlin in back-to-back at bats. The third, fourth and fifth frames were scoreless for both sides.
In the sixth inning, sophomore designated player Sam Glantz blasted a two-run home run, her first bomb of the year, as UCSD took back the lead. MSUB answered back in the bottom of the frame with two of its own. Heather Tracy scored on a wild pitch and Devlin hit an RBI single.
The Tritons came through in the top of the seventh with two runs thanks to two pinch hitters. Freshman Caitlyn Weisner came in to pinch-hit and got a clutch RBI single that scored Clewett from second to tie the game. Later in the inning with runners on first and second, sophomore Emily Sklencar came in as a pinch hitter and scored sophomore Kendall Woken, who went in as a pinch runner, with a single to center field.
Senior left-handed pitcher Lexi Edwards was able to retire the Yellowjackets in order in the bottom of the seventh, as UCSD came away victorious. Edwards (10-5) got the win with seven innings pitched, giving up four runs, three of those being earned, with three strikeouts. Amanda Roarke (2-11) was credited with the loss. Glantz had one hit, one run and two RBIs to lead the Tritons. MSUB's Devlin had two hits, one run and two RBIs.
GAME TWO - UC San Diego 8, Northwest Nazarene 5
After giving up three runs in the bottom of the first, UCSD limited NNU to two the rest of the way for the win, 8-5. The Tritons took advantage of five Crusader errors during the game.
UCSD started off by scoring two in the top of the first. Sophomore outfielder Kelsi Maday and Abeyta were able to reach on singles. Sanders plated both of them with a single to right field.
NNU fired back with three in the bottom of the first. With runners on first and second, Cassidy Fifield hit a single to score one. Lisa Sylvester then got a two-run hit to center as the Crusaders took a 3-2 lead.
The Tritons scored three runs in the top of the third. Clewett scored the first as she initially hit a single, but an error from NNU outfielder Lauren Basset brought her all the way home. With sophomore infielder Kendall Baker on third and sophomore infielder Rachel Phillips on second, Maday hit a single to plate them both. The Crusaders pushed one across in the bottom of the third as Anna Olson brought home Sylvester with an RBI single.
Maday was clutch once again, this time in the fifth inning, as she was able to bring home Baker on a single to the outfield. UCSD got two insurance runs in the top of the seventh with a two-RBI hit from Abeyta. The Tritons gave up one run to NNU in the bottom of the seventh, but were able to get the necessary outs to end the contest.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Lauren Brown (9-6) got the win as she pitched all seven frames, giving up five runs and striking out three. Abigail Watking started the game for the Crusaders and only lasted 0.1 innings after giving up two runs. Kendall Goodwin (5-11) was credited with the loss in 6.2 innings pitched, giving up six runs, all of them unearned.
Maday recorded three hits, three RBIs and one run. Abeyta had three hits, two RBIs and one run. Sylvester led NNU with three hits, two RBIs and one run.
UCSD concludes the Tournament of Champions on Sunday, March 3. The Tritons play Concordia (Ore.) at 9 a.m., followed by Central Washington at 2 p.m.
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