LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego closed out the La Jolla Invitational in a rematch game against the Sacramento State Hornets. The Tritons had fallen to the Hornets, 3-2, previously on Friday. On Sunday, the Tritons came out on top, 6-1, marking head coach
Patti Gerckens' 800th career win.
UC San Diego moves to 5-5 overall and Sacramento State is now 3-6.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In true invitational fashion, the Tritons were designated visiting team at their home field in this rematch vs. the designated home team, Sacramento State.
The Tritons were able to get on the board in the top of the third with three runs.
Kelley Renner tripled to left center, followed by
Sophia Real who brought her home with a single to left field. Protecting the plate,
Keila Bosinger battled through 11 pitches before drawing a walk and advancing Real.
Bobbi Aguirre was able to advance Real on a sac bunt to put her on third.
Gabby Williams also faced a full count and walked to load the bases for the Tritons.
Isabel Lavrov faced the same full count and was hit by a pitch, plating Real. The bases remained loaded as
Clarissa Reynoso faced the fourth full count situation. She, too, was hit by a pitch to advance Lavrov to second, Williams to third, and Bosinger was brought home to score.
Looking to continue building on their lead, the Tritons scored three more runs in the fifth and seventh. In the top of the fifth, Lavrov tallied another RBI with a sac fly plating
Morgan Eng.
The Tritons were back to the top of the order in the seventh inning as Real hit a bomb over the left field fence. Bosinger hit a double before Williams hit a sac fly to bring her in for the run.
Kaia Simpson was the winning pitcher for the Tritons. Starting the game and pitching four innings, Simpson struck out four Hornets and faced five batters or fewer in each inning.
Jada Cecil relieved Simpson in the bottom of the fifth. Tallying four strikeouts of her own, Cecil faced 16 batters and forced six ground outs. Aguirre and Reynoso tallied eight putouts each at first and home.
QUOTABLE
TRITON TIDBITS
- This win marks the 800th victory for head coach Patti Gerckens, all during her time at UC San Diego. She has wins from all three NCAA divisions.
- Freshman pitcher Jada Cecil already has 38 strikeouts after the second weekend of her collegiate career.
- Kelley Renner's first hit of the season was a triple.
- The La Jolla Invitational is an inaugural event for UC San Diego and the first Division I invitational hosted by the Tritons.
UP NEXT
The Tritons head across town the University of San Diego to play the Toreros (5-4) on Wednesday, Feb. 23rd at 5 pm.
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.
