LOS ANGELES – The UC San Diego softball team started its 2022 season with a split on day one of the UCLA tournament and season opener. The Tritons topped Nevada, 10-2, before falling 5-0 to #4 UCLA.
 
GAME ONE: UC SAN DIEGO 10, NEVADA 2
The Wolf Pack scored quickly in the first and second innings, but the Tritons responded in the third with back-to-back home runs from Keila Bosinger and Gabby Williams. Bosinger brought in Sophia Real who hit a single and Williams brought in Bobbi Aguirre who also hit a single to be on base. Isabel Lavrov hit a double to left center and then stole third, so she was able to capitalize on a Nevada error and score. Heading into the bottom of the third, Jada Cecil subbed in for Kaia Simpson, who had held Nevada to three hits. Cecil then shut the Wolf Pack down for the final five innings, facing 16 batters, striking out 12 of them and giving up zero hits.
 
In the seventh inning, led by Mariah Melendez's squeeze bunt, Deena Pederson was able to score and advanced Lavrov to third, both who were on base after being walked by Nevada's pitcher. Real reached first to advance Kelley Renner, who was on base from a Nevada error, and Lavrov was able to score. As Bosinger stepped up to the plate, she brought in both Real and Renner with another home run. Cecil sealed the win as she faced three batters for three quick outs.
 
GAME TWO: UCLA 5, UC SAN DIEGO 0
The Bruins scored their five runs in the first and fourth innings.
 
Three pitchers came in for the Tritons to help hold the Bruins to five runs. Gabby Williams, Kaia Simpson, and Jada Cecil held UCLA to four hits while they faced a combined 27 batters.
 
QUOTABLE
"Overall it was a really great day," Coach Patti Gerckens said. "We swung our bats really well in the first game and executed when we needed to, that's how we came back from a two run deficit."
 
"Our pitchers did an unbelievable job in both games," Gerckens said. "Holding UCLA to five runs was really well done."
 
With four errors over the day, Gerckens said, "we have to continue working on that to get stronger so we don't leave our pitchers on the mound longer than they need to be."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Keila Bosinger had a monster first game in the season opener with a pair of homers and four runs driven in.
• Gabby Williams started the 2022 season strong offensively scoring their seventh career home run for the Tritons.
• Jada Cecil had 12 strikeouts in the career opener with the Tritons.

UP NEXT
The Tritons are back in Los Angeles tomorrow competing against Oregon at 9 am PT and Loyola Marymount at 2 pm PT.
 
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 38 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.