LA JOLLA, Calif. – The UC San Diego softball team will remain on the road this weekend, April 10-11, as they travel to Long Beach for a four-game series against Long Beach State. Per the Big West's approved proposal this season, the fourth contest in the series will be ruled non-conference. Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m. and Sunday's will start at 11 a.m.
THE SCHEDULE (GAMES 16-19)
Game 1
at
Long Beach State
Saturday, April 10 • 1 p.m.
LBSU Softball Complex • Long Beach, Calif.
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Live Stats |
Listen
Game 2
at
Long Beach State
Saturday, April 10 • 3 p.m.
LBSU Softball Complex • Long Beach, Calif.
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Live Stats |
Listen
Game 3
at
Long Beach State
Sunday, April 11 • 11 a.m.
LBSU Softball Complex • Long Beach, Calif.
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Live Stats |
Listen
Game 4
at
Long Beach State
Sunday, April 11 • 1 p.m.
LBSU Softball Complex • Long Beach, Calif.
Watch Live |
Live Stats |
Listen
Series Record: This is the first-ever softball matchup between the Tritons and the Beach.
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 GAME
Per current COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols implemented by Long Beach State, spectators are not permitted to attend home meets at the LBSU Softball Complex at this time.
ABOUT UC SAN DIEGO
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 7-8
Big West: 4-2
Home: 5-5
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-1
Streak: L1
ABOUT LONG BEACH STATE
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 12-5
Big West: 8-1
Home: 7-0
Away: 5-5
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: N/A
Streak: L1
LAST TIME OUT
UC San Diego won their second Big West series in Hawaii, 2-1, but split the overall four-game matchup 2-2. The Tritons took the middle two games, 5-1 and 4-1, and dropped the first and last, 4-6 and 1-8, respectively.
Throughout the series, junior
Kaleigh Lane notched both her first hit, and first RBIs in a Triton uniform and junior
Kinley Kyro tallied her first collegiate home run. Senior
Sherriah Harrington entered the weekend on an 11-game hit streak dating back to Mar. 6, which was ultimately broken up in game four in Honolulu. However, her reached base streak remains intact (12 games).
As a team, UC San Diego hit one home run in every game, increasing its season total to 15. The blue and gold batted a season series low .233 and were walked 10 times. The pitching staff generated an ERA of 3.50, its second highest of the 2021 campaign during a single series.
SCOUTING REPORT
Long Beach State has boasted an 8-1 conference record including a perfect 7-0 at home. LBSU has won its first three Big West series over UC Riverside (3-0), UC Davis (2-1), and CSUN (3-0). After four cancelations to begin the season, the Beach lost two and won two to USD before sweeping Loyola Marymount (2-0) and falling to Cal Baptist twice.
The Beach are batting .304 overall and .342 in conference and have collected a league-best ERA of 1.41/1.09 among four pitchers. They have scored the most runs in Big West play with 59 and are tied for first in RBIs with 52.
Most recently, Long Beach State swept all three conference weekly awards earning Field Player, Pitcher and Freshman of the Week honors on April 5. The week prior, the Beach took two of the three accolades in Player and Pitcher of the Week. Freshman pitcher Shannon Haddad (4-0) garnered three of the five awards, doubling up for her performance on the mound and as a rookie in week eight.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The series in Long Beach will conclude UC San Diego's eight game road trip. Prior to the four games in Hawaii on April 2-3, the Tritons had not played away since facing then third-ranked UCLA on Mar. 9.
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 in statistical leader boards despite playing the third-fewest games in the league. Its defense is ranked third in double plays (7), two away from leading Cal Poly, while its offense is ranked second overall in home runs (15) and second in slugging percentage (.519) across conference play. Individually,
Kaia Simpson is fourth in ERA (1.96) and first in saves (2).
FIELDING
| TEAM |
DOUBLE PLAYS |
| 1. Cal Poly |
9 |
| 2. Cal State Fullerton |
8 |
| 3. UC San Diego |
7 |
| 4. UC Davis |
5 |
| 5. Long Beach State |
5 |
HITTING
| TEAM |
HOME RUNS |
| 1. Cal State Fullerton |
29 |
| 2. UC San Diego |
15 |
| 3. UC Davis |
11 |
| 3. Long Beach State |
11 |
| 5. Hawai'i |
9 |
| TEAM |
Slugging Percentage
(Big West) |
| 1. Cal State Fullerton |
.618 |
| 2. UC San Diego |
.519 |
| 3. Long Beach State |
.494 |
| 4. UC Santa Barbara |
.453 |
| 5. Cal Poly |
.451 |
INDIVIDUAL
| PLAYER |
TEAM |
ERA |
| 1. K. White |
Long Beach State |
1.07 |
| 2. S. Haddad |
Long Beach State |
1.14 |
| 3. B. Doherty |
Cal Poly |
1.39 |
| 4. K. Simpson |
UC San Diego |
1.96 |
| 5. S. Frost |
Cal State Fullerton |
2.20 |
COMING UP CLUTCH
UC San Diego has capitalized in pressured situations as well as situational play all season long. The team is batting .333 with the bases load, .282 with runners in scoring position and .567 with a runner on third and less than two outs.
THE STREAK CONTINUES…
Harrington's 11-game hit streak was broken up in game four of the Hawaii series. However, her reached base streak continues. Dating back to Mar. 6 versus Utah State, Harrington has reached base safely in 11 games following against five different opponents.
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 15 games, with Hawai'i having only played 13 and CSUN with nine. Cal State Fullerton leads the conference with 32 games played.
LINEUP SHUFFLE
The Tritons have seen 14 different starting lineup arrangements by batting order and have prepped 10 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
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. Overall, she is also prevalent in saves (14/1st), strikeouts (492/4th), innings (598.1/4th), complete games (59/5th), and appearances (114/5th).
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).
INJURY REPORT
Senior
Trudie Nixon and freshmen
Zoe Richards and
Gabby Williams, are currently unavailable for the Tritons due to injury.
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 786-619 (.559) 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
After eight games on the road, UC San Diego will return home to La Jolla on April 16-17 as they host Big West favorite Cal State Fullerton in four-game series, the first three counting towards conference standings. Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m. and Saturday's is slated for 1 p.m. Games will be broadcast on ESPN3 on day one and live streamed on BigWest.TV on day two. For the full schedule, click
here.
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.
