STOCKTON, Calif. - Sophomore third baseman Rachel Phillips leaned into the third-base dugout and caught a popup for the final out in the seventh inning as the fourth-seeded UC San Diego softball team defeated third-ranked and top-seeded Humboldt State by a final score of 6-4 on the first day of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament, Friday at Arnaiz Stadium.
With the victory, the fourth-seeded Tritons improve to 34-19 on the season. The Lumberjacks had their 20-game win streak snapped in dropping to 45-4-1. HSU's previous loss had also come at the hands of UCSD, 6-5, in Modesto back on March 31.
UCSD came out on fire, scoring two in the top of the first. With two outs, sophomore outfielder Kelsi Maday hit a single to get on base. HSU pitcher Katie Obbema hit sophomore catcher Lauren Sanders with a pitch and sophomore designated player Sam Glantz was walked to put three on for the Tritons. With the bases loaded, sophomore outfielder Emily Sklencar hit a two-RBI double to give UCSD a 2-0 advantage.
The Tritons plated four in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of two Lumberjack errors, to take a 6-0 lead. Senior infielder McKenna Clewett hit a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Phillips and took third on an illegal pitch. Freshman infielder Darian Van Der Maaten reached on a throwing error from Obbema and sophomore infielder Kendall Baker was walked to load the bases. Senior outfielder Taylor Abeyta laced one up the middle to bring home Clewett and Maday hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Van Der Maaten. A throwing error from HSU catcher Darian Harris brought in Abeyta and Baker for the third and fourth runs of the frame.
The Jacks scored one each in the bottom of the fourth and fifth, and two in the sixth. Tiffany Hollingsworth tripled to right field to open the fourth inning and came home on a Kalyn Paque groundout. HSU's Harris scored in the fifth inning on a wild pitch. Breonna Bejaran hit a two-run home run in the sixth to cut the margin to two, 6-4.
Senior left-handed pitcher Lexi Edwards (16-8) took the win, throwing 5.2 innings, giving up four runs and striking out two. Milana Casillas came on in relief and threw the last 1.1 frames, limiting the Lumberjacks to just one hit to earn her first save of the year. Obbema (20-3), the CCAA Pitcher of the Year, took a rare loss, pitching 3.1 innings and giving up six runs, three of them earned.
Abeyta went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Maday had one hit, one run and one RBI. HSU's Bejeran went 3-for-3 with one run and two RBI.
UCSD continues the CCAA Tournament in the winner's bracket and will play 14th-ranked No. 2 seed Chico State on Saturday, April 30. First pitch at Arnaiz Stadium is set for 12 p.m. The Wildcats took a 5-3 decision over third-seeded Sonoma State later Friday. Like the Tritons and their 6-0 bulge, the 'Cats trotted out to a 5-0 advantage before hanging on late.
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