LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego opened its second season of Big West play with a split against CSU Bakersfield in a Sunday doubleheader at Triton Softball Field. On March 20, the Tritons took game one, 7-3, and dropped game two to the Roadrunners, 4-2.
 
In game one, the Tritons were led by designated player Zoe Richards who went 2-for-4 at the plate with one run from pinch runner Kelley Renner. Jada Cecil got the start in game one and allowed two runs on two hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. Coming in as relief was Shelby Thompson who allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout and no walks.
 
In game two, second baseman Isabel Lavrov led the Tritons from the plate, going 1-for-two with one run. Gabby Williams got the start in game two and allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Coming in as relief was Kaia Simpson who allowed two runs on four hits with two errors, two strikeouts and one walk. In the seventh, Jada Cecil relieved Simpson and allowed one run on one hit with one error, two strikeouts and no walks.
 
GAME ONE: UC SAN DIEGO 7, CSU BAKERSFIELD 3
The Tritons' bats were hot early in game one with five runs scored in the first inning from on two home runs. Keila Bosinger laced a single through the left side and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch from the Roadrunners. Bobbi Aguirre protected the plate through five pitches to walk. Then Isabel Lavrov sent a bomb out into left field for a three RBI home run. After Marissa Hassis reached on a hit by pitch, Clarissa Reynoso sent her first homerun of the season to center field and extended UC San Diego's lead, 5-0.
 
In the bottom of the second, three Tritons were walked to load the bases. Deena Pederson was hit by a pitch to push in Bosinger for another RBI.
 
The Tritons' final run came in the third, when Zoe Richards laced a single through the right side and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Alexa DeMarse. Kelley Renner came in to pinch run for Richards and immediately stole third. Then a sac-fly from Aguirre allowed pinch runner, Kelley Renner to make it the final 60 feet home to score.
 
CSU Bakersfield responded with three runs coming in the fifth and seventh.
 
GAME TWO: CSU BAKERSFIELD 4, UC SAN DIEGO 2
UC San Diego got on the board early again in game two, scoring in the first inning on a two RBI single by Marissa Hassis. Bobbi Aguirre was walked after battling a full count and Isabel Lavrov laced a single past third, pushing Aguirre to second. Clarissa Reynoso walked to advance Aguirre and Lavrov. With bases loaded, Hassis sent a two-out single to left field plating Aguirre and Lavrov in the process.
 
CSU Bakersfield tied the game in the fifth and pulled ahead with two more runs coming in the sixth and seventh. The Tritons remained scoreless after the first and were unable to responded to the Roadrunners' rally.

TRITON TIDBITS

• The Tritons are 1-1 in conference play, currently sitting in fourth place in the Big West Conference.
• After the first weekend of conference play, UC San Diego leads the Big West in strikeouts and stolen bases.
• The CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners opted out of the 2021 season last year, making this series their first meeting with the UC San Diego Tritons.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego is back tomorrow, March 21, for the final game of the series vs. CSU Bakersfield. First pitch is scheduled for 12 pm and will broadcast live on ESPN+ with Tracy Warren calling the action.

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.