LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego softball hits the road for the third time this month, heading north to face UC Davis in a three-game conference series on Friday, April 23 – Saturday, April 24. Friday's game is set for 3 p.m., while Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 12 p.m. All contests will be held at La Rue Field in Davis.
THE SCHEDULE (GAMES 24-26)
Game 1
vs.
UC Davis (13-18, 7-5 BWC)
Friday, April 23 • 3 p.m.
La Rue Field • Davis, Calif.
Live Stream on BigWest.TV •
Live Stats
Game 2
vs.
UC Davis (13-18, 7-5 BWC)
Saturday, April 24 • 12 p.m. (DH)
La Rue Field • Davis, Calif.
Live Stream on BigWest.TV •
Live Stats
Game 3
vs.
UC Davis (13-18, 7-5 BWC)
Saturday, April 24 • 2 p.m. (DH)
La Rue Field • Davis, Calif.
Live Stream on BigWest.TV •
Live Stats
Series Record: UC Davis leads series, 5-17.
Last Meeting: UC San Diego won, 5-3 on Mar. 26, 2004.
UC SAN DIEGO AND COVID-19
UC San Diego's nationally renowned Return to Learn program was created to return to in-person teaching, learning, conducting pioneering research and serving our communities in the safest way possible. The program has three adaptive pillars that are central to our strategy to resume on-campus activity: risk mitigation, viral detection, and intervention.
For the latest information on UC San Diego and COVID-19, please visit the University's
Return to Learn site.
ATTENDING THE GAMES
Per current COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols implemented by UC Davis, due to limited facility seating capacity at La Rue Field, attendance is currently limited to UC Davis player guests only.
Click here for more details.
ABOUT UC SAN DIEGO
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 8-15
Big West: 4-8
Home: 6-8
Away: 2-7
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-1
Streak: W1
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 13-18
Big West: 7-5
Home: 9-7
Away: 4-9
Neutral: 0-2
vs. Ranked Opponents: N/A
Streak: W7
LAST TIME OUT
UC San Diego went 1-3 last weekend against first-place Cal State Fullerton at Triton Softball Field. The Tritons came back strong after dropping two games back-to-back on day one. The blue and gold suffered a 0-1, nine inning heartbreaker in game three, but ultimately edged the Titans in the finale, 6-5.
Throughout the series,
Bobbi Aguirre was on fire. The redshirt junior batted .538 (7-for-13) with two RBIs, a walk, a run, and a double. She came up clutch in her team's lone win, singling to right field in the sixth to plate the tying run. Splitting time between first and third base, she was also errorless in the field.
Senior
Robyn Wampler had arguably her best outing of her career in the game three pitching duel. The lefty threw eight innings of scoreless softball and matched her season-best six strikeouts, surrendering just seven hits. Wampler made another appearance in game four, tallying her fifth win of 2021 thanks to her teams come-from-behind efforts to take one from a dominant program.
SCOUTING REPORT
In the preseason coaches' poll, UC Davis was picked to finish third behind Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State. The Aggies are currently on a seven-game win streak upon sweeping both UC Riverside and CSUN, as well as grabbing a 3-2 with from Long Beach State.
UC Davis has earned one Big West Field Player of the Week award in Isabella Leon and three Pitcher of the Week accolades – a pair earned by Kenedi Brown and one from Taylor Fitzgerald. In addition, Ana Dethlefson garnered Freshman of the Week honors in week four of awards.
UC Davis has three players lining the Big West leader boards. Brown is first in strikeouts (113) and saves (3), fifth in ERA (2.74) and tied for fifth in wins (7), while Sarah Starks sits tied for second in home runs (7) and Dethlefson is fourth in stolen bases (9).
The Aggies are big on running, having stolen 35 bases overall, 20 among conference play. They are right behind UC San Diego in double plays turned with nine and trail the Tritons in home runs by two (16).
Against teams UC San Diego has recently faced, the Aggies went 1-2 with Long Beach State and 0-3 against Cal State Fullerton.
UC DAVIS CONNECTIONS
Current UC Davis softball head coach, Erin (Bridges) Thorpe '00 is a UC San Diego softball alum, who graduated in 2000 with a bachelor's in economics and management science. She played under current Triton Head Coach
Patti Gerckens. It will be Gerckens' and Thorpe's first face off since Thorpe starting coaching nearly 20 years ago.
Thorpe was a four-time all-region shortstop for the Tritons, an NCAA All-American, and UCSD's Female Athlete of the Year her senior season. She is relevant in various categories of the UC San Diego all-time record book: sixth in batting average (.362), ninth in RBIs (97), tied for sixth in triples (12), and eight in assists (382).
Erin (Bridges) Thorpe '00
ON THE ROAD AGAIN? AGAIN.
The Tritons started the month of April on an eight-game road trip. After hosting UC Santa Barbara in their Big West opener on Mar. 26-27, UC San Diego took off for two away series at Hawaii (2-2) and Long Beach State (0-4). A quick four-game series with Cal State Fullerton (1-3) brought the Tritons home for a weekend on April 16-17, but it won't be long before UC San Diego is away again to close out the month at UC Davis.
MILESTONE MADNESS!
Two of UC San Diego's offensive leaders,
Bobbi Aguirre and
Sherriah Harrington, reached career milestones in the Tritons' four-game series against Long Beach State. Aguirre notched career hit number 100 on April 10, as teammate Harrington tallied base knock 150 on April 11.
Triton leadoff batter
Keila Bosinger was quick to follow in recording her 100th career hit the following series at Cal State Fullerton on April 17. Additionally,
Danica Kazakoff stole her 50
th career base, becoming eighth on the all-time list.
TRITONS HIGHLIGHTED ON NCAA TOP PLAYS
Keila Bosinger and
Bobbi Aguirre were featured on the @NCAASoftball Instagram and Twitter handles for their spectacular defensive plays against UC Santa Barbara.
NFCA TOP PERFORMERS
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) selected Harrington and Pederson as top performers for the week of Mar. 30 based on their numbers against the Gauchos. In the mix were various players from top-ranked teams, including Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington.
DEEN THE MACHINE GARNERS BIG WEST WEEKLY HONORS
Week seven of conference weekly awards brought the Tritons their first-ever Big West freshman accolade.
Deena Pederson was named the Big West Freshman of the Week on Mar. 29 following her breakout weekend against UC Santa Barbara. For more, click
here.
FIRST-EVER BIG WEST CONFERENCE WEEKLY ACCOLADES
Senior
Robyn Wampler and junior
Clarissa Reynoso were named the program's first-ever Big West Pitcher of the Week and Field Player of the Week, respectively, for their efforts against Grand Canyon. For more, click
here.
BIG WEST LEADER BOARDS
UC San Diego fares well among the league's leader boards, despite playing the third-fewest games in the league (23). Its defense is tied for first in double plays (10) alongside Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly, while its offense is ranked third in home runs (16) and fifth in slugging percentage (.388). Individually,
Kaia Simpson is tied for third in saves (2).
FIELDING
| TEAM |
DOUBLE PLAYS |
| 1. Cal Poly |
10 |
| 1. Cal State Fullerton |
10 |
| 1. UC San Diego |
10 |
| 4. UC Davis |
9 |
| 5. Hawaii |
7 |
| 5. Long Beach State |
7 |
HITTING
| TEAM |
HOME RUNS |
| 1. Cal State Fullerton |
39 |
| 2. Long Beach State |
18 |
| 3. UC San Diego |
16 |
| 4. UC Davis |
14 |
| 5. Cal Poly |
13 |
| TEAM |
Slugging Percentage
|
| 1. Long Beach State |
.506 |
| 2. Cal State Fullerton |
.504 |
| 3. Cal Poly |
.421 |
| 4. Hawaii |
.404 |
| 5. UC San Diego |
.388 |
COMING UP CLUTCH
UC San Diego has capitalized in pressured situations as well as situational play all season long. The team is batting .368 with the bases load, .271 with runners in scoring position and .604 with a runner on third and less than two outs. The Tritons' leadoff batter of each inning has reached safely 58 times in 157 chances (.369).
LIMITED GAMES PLAYED
Due to UC San Diego's COVID-19 protocols and safety regulations, the Tritons have played the third least number of games this season among the Big West Conference. UC San Diego has competed in 23 games, tied with Cal Poly. Hawai'i has played 20 and CSUN has only participated in 15. Cal State Fullerton leads the conference with 39 games played.
LINEUP SHUFFLE
The Tritons have seen 21 different starting lineup arrangements by batting order and have prepped 17 different lineups by position.
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program has begun a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the
Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
SUCCESS IN DIVISION II
The Tritons accumulated a 391-274 (.588) record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) – widely considered the best Division II conference in the nation. In the last 20 years, as part of the league, UC San Diego was named regular season CCAA Champion twice (2011, 2019) and claimed a pair of CCAA Tournament titles (2012, 2016). The Tritons also earned three National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) West Region Championships (2011, 2012, 2019), were National Championship Runners-Up (2012), and brought home the program's first and one of UC San Diego's 30 National Championship trophies in 2011.
In the abbreviated 2020 season and final year in Division II, the blue and gold posted a 21-8 overall mark and ranked 24th in the final NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
BIG WEST PRESEASON POLL
The Tritons were picked to finish ninth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll, as determined by the league's head coaches. UC San Diego collected 26 points in the poll, just one point below UC Santa Barbara (27). To view the full poll, click
here.
RUNNING THE RECORD BOOKS
WAMPLER MOVES TO SECOND ALL-TIME IN WINS & Ks, TOSSES 500TH CAREER STRIKEOUT
Over the span of her career, Wampler has embedded herself into various categories of the UC San Diego record books. After taking game one from USD on Mar. 21, Wampler surpassed Melissa Ward (2005-08) in all-time career wins. Then, on April 16, against arguably the best team in the Big West, Cal State Fullerton, Wampler fanned her 500th batter in game one of the four-game series.
Overall, she is also prevalent in saves (14/1st), strikeouts (510/2nd), innings (628.1/4th), complete games (62/4th), and appearances (120/4th).
Saves
Wins
Strikeouts
LOVIN' THE LONG BALL
Like Wampler, Harrington and Aguirre have also left their marks in the record books, especially in the home run category. With 15 four-baggers, Harrington sits at sixth in Triton history, while Aguirre is in ninth with 11 of her own.
NEW FACES
UC San Diego added six new players to its roster this fall. Among the newcomers are five freshmen and one transfer. Two left-handed hurdlers –
Shelby Thompson (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge HS) and
Gabby Williams (Martinez/Carondelet HS) – will add depth to the pitching staff, as
Deena Pederson (Sunnyvale/Wilcox HS) and
Zoe Richards (Livermore/Livermore HS) look to make an immediate impact in any position needed. The Tritons also picked up a pair of outfielders in
Mariah Melendez(Lakewood/Mayfair HS) and community college transfer
Kaleigh Lane (San Diego/San Diego Mesa College).
HEAD COACH PATTI GERCKENS
Patti Gerckens enters her 29th season at the helm of the UC San Diego softball program in 2021. Over her 28-year career, Gerckens has compiled an overall record of 787-626 (.556) with 12 30-win seasons in the last 14 years. Throughout her tenure, Gerckens has earned three CCAA Coach of the Year awards (2007, 2011 and 2019) and three NFCA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors (2011, 2012, and 2019).
In 2011, Gerckens and her coaching staff were also named NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year upon guiding the blue and gold to a record 45-win season that was capped with the university's final Division II National Championship team title. The winningest coach in program history, Gerckens has witnessed the institution transition from Division III to Division II and now to Division I. For Gerckens' complete bio, click
here.
BYRNE PROMOTED, WASHINGTON ADDED
After returning to UC San Diego for her third stint last season,
Cristina Byrne was promoted to Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator in August of 2020. She has become quite familiar with La Jolla's campus, having previously been with the Tritons from 2003-05 and 2006-07.
A former San Diego State and University of San Diego starting outfielder, Byrne carries a handful of Division I experience. She was involved at San Diego State (2016-18) as a volunteer assistant and also served as an assistant coach at Big West foe UC Davis (2015-16). To read more on Byrne, click
here.
Christina Washington, former Boise State (2017) and Cal State Fullerton (2014-16) pitching standout, rounds out the coaching staff changes in 2021. Similarly to Byrne, Washington came to La Jolla with two years of coaching experience at another Big West opponent, Cal State Fullerton. Washington carried out the responsibilities of volunteer assistant pitching coach where she helped the Titans to their fourth-straight regular season Big West title. For Washington's complete bio, click
here.
Alongside Gerckens, Byrne and Washington is
Ray Noelte who undergoes his third-consecutive season as a volunteer coach.
TRITONS SIGN SIX TO CLASS OF 2025
The UC San Diego softball team inked six accomplished high school scholar-athletes to National Letters of Intent this past November.
Alexa DeMarse, Jada Cecil, Marissa "Munchie" Hassis, Marissa Fondtain, Morgan Eng, and
Reilly Erickson have committed to join the Tritons in the fall of 2021. For more on the incomings, click
here.
WHAT'S NEXT
UC San Diego will return to Triton Softball Field on May 1-2 for a three-game conference series with the Highlanders of UC Riverside. Saturday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. Sunday's single game will also begin at 1 p.m. Games will be broadcast on ESPN3.
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home softball, baseball, men's and women's basketball games and men's and women's volleyball matches are broadcast live on ESPN3. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego softball, visit
UCSDTritons.com/live.
UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS LAUNCHES WEEKLY PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and the Big West Conference. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps, including Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on Twitter
@Tritoncast.
FOLLOW THE TRITONS
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through
Twitter,
Facebook, and
Instagram. The team's handle is @UCSDsoftball.
GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, visit the official team store of the Tritons
here.
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the
Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!
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.
