SAN MARCOS, Calif. - The UC San Diego softball team secured a spot in the upcoming California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament with a doubleheader sweep over crosstown conference rival Cal State San Marcos, Wednesday at CSUSM Softball Field. The Tritons defeated the Cougars by a score of 5-4 in eight innings in game one and 5-2 in the second game.
With the two wins UCSD concludes the regular season at 33-19 overall and 23-15 in the CCAA. The Tritons occupy the third slot in the league standings. CSUSM drops to 10-32 overall and 7-25 in conference play.
GAME ONE - UC San Diego 5, Cal State San Marcos 4 (8 innings)
UCSD took down CSUSM, 5-4, in eight innings in game one. With two outs in the top of the eighth, sophomore infielder Kendall Baker doubled to left center to get on base. Senior outfielder Taylor Abeyta drew a walk and sophomore outfielder Kelsi Maday hit an RBI single to bring home Baker for the go-ahead run.
Senior left-handed pitcher Lexi Edwards walked one in the bottom of the eighth, but retired the next three Cougars to end the game.
CSUSM struck in for three in the bottom of the first, aided by two Triton errors. Robyn Alvara hit an RBI single for the first run. Throwing errors by sophomore infielder Rachel Phillips and freshman catcher Kristyana Boghossian brought in the second and third runs.
UCSD loaded the bases in the top of the fifth with three consecutive bunt singles from Baker, Abeyta and Maday. Freshman designated player Caitlyn Weisner drew a walk to get Baker in. Senior infielder McKenna Clewett hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Abeyta. Sophomore outfielder Emily Skelncar singled to score Maday to tie the game and freshman infielder Darian Van Der Maaten laid down the fourth bunt single of the inning to bring home Weisner as the Tritons took the lead, 4-3.
With runners on first and third in the bottom of the fifth, Van Der Maaten was not able to cleanly field a hit from the Cougars' Abby Allen at first base as CSUSM evened the score, 4-4.
Edwards (15-8) was credited the win, pitching the first two and the last 3.1 innings for a total of 5.1 innings pitched. Junior left-handed pitcher Milana Casillas threw the middle 2.2 frames that Edwards did not pitch. CSUSM's Ashley Dagenais (6-13) took the loss, throwing all eight innings, giving up five runs.
Baker had three hits and two runs for UCSD. Maday added two hits, one run and one RBI. Melyssa Bellamy recorded one hit and two runs to lead the Cougars.
GAME TWO - UC San Diego 5, Cal State San Marcos 2
After giving up one run in each of the first two frames, UCSD shut out CSUSM in the next five to win, 5-2.
The Tritons scored right out of the gates with two in the top of the first. Baker and Abeyta hit back-to-back singles and a Maday sacrifice bunt advanced the two to second and third. Weisner laced an RBI single to left field to score Baker. A sacrifice fly from Clewett in the next at bat brought home Abeyta for the second run of the inning.
The Cougars tied the game, 2-2, with one run each in the first two frames. CSUSM's Bellamy doubled in the bottom of the first to score Caylyn Rodriguez for the first run. Rodriguez brought in the second score in the second with an RBI double to right center.
In the top of the third, Maday singled and reached second after Weisner was hit by a pitch. Maday stole third and came home on an error by Riley Johnson who could not handle the throw by Cougar catcher Karla Bernal.
UCSD added one more in the fourth frame. With runners on second and third, Baker reached on an infield single that brought in Sklencar. The Tritons scored their fifth run of the game in the sixth inning with an RBI bunt single from sophomore Kenall Woken, who came in as a pinch hitter for Phillips.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Lauren Brown (12-6) took the win, pitching all seven innings and giving up two runs on seven hits and striking out five. CSUSM's Amanda Horbasch (4-19) was given the loss, giving up five runs in seven innings.
Maday ended the game with two hits, one run and two stolen bases. She now has a total of 35 steals, which is most in a single-season in school history, breaking Dana Chaiken's previous record of 31 set in 1988. Maday also has 50 runs on the season, tied for second most in a single season. Baker added two hits, one run and one RBI.
UCSD will head to Stockton for the CCAA Tournament on Friday to Sunday, April 29-May 1. The winner of the four-team tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to NCAA Regionals.
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