LONG BEACH, Calif. – UC San Diego softball lost twice (6-7, 4-14) to the Big West Conference's second-place team Long Beach State on Sunday afternoon at LBSU Softball Complex. With the outcomes, the Tritons suffered their first 0-4 sweep of the season. UC San Diego's record moves to 7-12 (4-5) as LBSU improves to 16-5 (10-1).  
 
GAME 3: UC San Diego 6, Long Beach State 7
Long Beach State scored first on two singles, a walk, and a double in the bottom of the first.
 
After getting shut out by LBSU starter Shannon Haddad on Saturday, the Triton offense made some adjustments at the plate on day two. UC San Diego tallied their first two runs of the series when Keila Bosinger doubled to left center to plate a speedy Kelley Renner all the way from first. Then, back-to-back singles from Sophia Real and Sherriah Harrington tied the game at two apiece.
 
LBSU retaliated shortly after. A single, a free pass and a double to right field allowed Long Beach to retake the lead, 2-4.
 
Triton starting pitcher Robyn Wampler found herself in a jam in the bottom of the fourth. After allowing a leadoff walk and a single, Wampler retired two LBSU batters in order. However, another single loaded the bases, and a hit by pitch drove in LBSU's fifth run of the game.
 
UC San Diego continued to chip away at an aggressive LBSU club. Batters 9-1-2 for the Tritons would get it done once again. Consecutive singles from Renner and Bosinger jumpstarted the rally. A bunt from Real rotated the Tritons 60 feet, while Harrington was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Aguirre and Isbael Lavrov tallied RBI singles to bring the score to 4-5. Danica Kazakoff extended the hit party, driving in two runs on a single to second base to give her team their first lead of the weekend.
 
With only six more outs to work with, LBSU manufactured run number six to tie it up. The Beach would ultimately win in walk-off fashion on three singles in the bottom of the seventh. Wampler was credited with the loss but fanned four overall. 
 
GAME 4: UC San Diego 4, Long Beach State 14 (5 Inn.)
UC San Diego jumped out on top in the series finale thanks to three singles from the top of the Triton lineup and an error by the LBSU defense.
 
Long Beach was quick to rebuttal. Five hits, including LBSU's Suzy Brookeshire's third home run in two days, led to four runs for the home team.

The contest mimicked much of game three, showing early signs of a back-and-forth battle. The Tritons' 8-9-1 batters of Clarissa Reynoso, Renner and Bosinger all singled. To follow was Real and Harrington who put pressure on the D, generating an additional two runs to tie the game at fours.
 
Long Beach, showing its resiliency all weekend, came back strong in the bottom half. Their three-batter homered to right to cap off a big second inning.
 
LBSU put up a seven spot in the third. With a score of 4-14, the run-rule was in effect and UC San Diego was unable to cut it within seven to prolong the contest. Kaia Simpson took the loss, moving to 0-3 on the year. 

QUOTABLE 
"I was happy to see that we came back stronger the second day and made some adjustments," said Patti Gerckens, UC San Diego's head coach in her 29th season. "We competed in the first game today, but let down at the end. We just need to learn how to finish strong moving forward."

TRITON TIDBITS

• Bosinger batted .625 (5-for-8) on the weekend, with a RBI and a double, and was hit by pitch four times.
• Sherriah Harrington recorded hit number 150 of her career on Sunday.
• There were four lead changes in UC San Diego's 6-7 defeat. 
• In the series, UC San Diego was outhit 19-45 and outscored 10-36.
• The Tritons were hit by pitch seven times in four games. 
• Game four of the four-game series was scheduled and ruled a non-conference game per the Big West's approved proposal.

 
UP NEXT
After eight games on the road, UC San Diego will return home to face Big West favorite Cal State Fullerton on April 16-17 at Triton Softball Field. Friday's doubleheader is slated for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. and live streamed on BigWest.TV.  
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
 
Return To Sport… Safely
In order for UC San Diego scholar-athletes to be permitted to return to training and competition safely and within federal, state, local and university guidelines, the athletic department implemented a number of measures designed to complement and enhance the university's highly-successful Return To Learn program.  Notable actions include being physically distanced when practical, including during out-of-season training sessions; wearing masks, except when undergoing physically strenuous exercise; and maintaining proper hygiene.  Athletes, coaches and staff are testing at a higher frequency than the campus population, teams adhere to CDC, NCAA and Big West Conference guidelines and department officials participate in regular meetings with conference and university-affiliated physicians and the UC San Diego emergency operations staff.