DAVIS, Calif. – The UC San Diego softball team snapped the Aggies' eight game win streak but split Saturday's doubleheader at La Rue Field in Davis, Calif. The first game concluded in favor of the Tritons, 5-1, while UC Davis came-from-behind to win game two, 4-5 (9 Inn.) and take the conference series, 2-1. 
 
As a result, UC San Diego moves to 9-17 overall and 5-10 in the Big West. The Aggies shift to 15-19 and 9-6 among conference play.
 
GAME 2: UC San Diego 5, UC Davis 1
UC Davis scored the first run of the game, but that was it as sophomore Kaia Simpson dealt in the circle for the Tritons.
 
Simpson tallied her first win of the year after throwing a seven-inning, one-run complete game. A native of Seattle, Wash., Simpson allowed just five hits, none which were extra bases and struck out four.
 
The Tritons put up a crooked number in the top of the fourth. The bats came alive as the visiting team's 4-5-6-8 batters all recorded hits. Isabel Lavrov tripled down the right field line to plate Harrington, before Danica Kazakoff singled through the right side to bring in Lavrov. The damage didn't end there as Kinley Kyro doubled to pick up two RBIs of her own which extended the lead, 4-1.
 
Riding the momentum, Simpson retired the side in the bottom half of the same inning, as well as in the sixth.
 
Gabby Williams picked up some insurance with a solo home run to left field, her fourth of the season. With three outs to go, the righty remained just as effective as she had all game and took down the Aggies with no problem.
 
GAME 3: UC San Diego 4, UC Davis 5 (9 Inn.)
For the second time in the series, the competing UCs took the game to extra innings. The Tritons struck first this time, courtesy of Bobbi Aguirre's single that scored Keila Bosinger.
 
The third inning was productive for both teams. Bosinger walked on four pitches and eventually stole home after clever base running from UC San Diego. With two outs and Sherriah Harrington on second, Lavrov teed off on one, homering to left field, stamping a three-spot on the scoreboard. 
 
However, the Aggies did not back down. Sarah Starks, who was responsible for the game-ending RBI double on Friday afternoon, homered to left to bring the game within two, 4-2.
 
A left center field blast from Bella Pahulu assisted the Aggies in evening the score at four apiece in the sixth.

The Tritons would suffer another heartbreaker in walk-off fashion. A clutch two-out piece of hitting from Leah Polson allowed UC Davis to triumph, nearly identical to Friday's conclusion.

QUOTABLE
"It was an honor and very fun to share the field with Erin," said Head Coach Patti Gerckens. "UC Davis fought hard and played well. Kaia pitched an awesome game and I was very proud of her. We had bright moments throughout the day, but have to learn how to close the door on teams."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Lavrov nabbed her second home run of her career in the series finale, her last one dating back to 2018 when she was just a freshman.  
• Game two of Saturday's twin bill was Williams' first game back after a mid-season injury from the Hawai'i series.
• Williams has eight hits in a Triton uniform and half of them have been deep flies.
• As a team, UC San Diego batted .500 (2-for-4) with the bases loaded and .500 (3-for-6) with runners on third and less than two outs. 
• The Tritons went to extra-innings with the Aggies twice in the series, bringing their total to five extended contests on the season.
• UC Davis Head Coach Erin (Bridges) Thorpe '00 played under UC San Diego Head Coach Patti Gerckens from 1997-2000. For the Tritons, Thorpe was a four-time All-Region shortstop, an NCAA All-American and UC San Diego's Female Athlete of the Year her senior season.

GOOD LUCK TO MEN'S VOLLEYBALL IN THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP 
 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to Triton Softball Field when they host Big West foe UC Riverside on May 1-2. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. while Sunday's solo game is set for 1 p.m. as well. All games will broadcast on ESPN3.
 
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.