SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – In a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, UC San Diego took game two and three over UC Santa Barbara, sweeping the Gauchos in the three-game series.
The Tritons advance to 17-13 overall and 5-1 in the Big West. The Gauchos drop to 9-21 overall and 1-5 in the Big West.
In game one, the Tritons were led by center fielder
Keila Bosinger who went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs, one RBI, and one homerun.
Gabby Williams tossed a complete game in game two and allowed four runs on nine hits with three errors, six strikeouts and one walk.
In game two, the Tritons were led by second baseman
Isabel Lavrov who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs, four RBIs, and one homerun. Center fielder
Keila Bosinger went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs and an RBI.
Jada Cecil got the start in game three and allowed one unearned run on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Kaia Simpson came in as relief for Cecil and allowed no runs on three hits with one walk.
GAME TWO: UC SAN DIEGO 8, UC SANTA BARBARA 4
The Tritons opened day two of the series with a solo homerun from
Keila Bosinger on a 2-0 count. UCSB responded in the bottom of the inning to tie at 1-1 headed into the second.
In the third, the top of the lineup scored two runs, stretching the Tritons' lead to 3-1. Lead-off hitter Bosinger successfully bunted to make it to first and then to second on a sac bunt from
Bobbi Aguirre.
Isabel Lavrov sent a single into right field to advance Bosinger to third; she then stole second.
Clarissa Reynoso bunted and reached on a fielder's choice to advance Lavrov and plate Bosinger.
Marissa Hassis laced a single up the middle past the Gaucho's defense to bring Lavrov home.
To start the fourth,
Zoe Richards and Aguirre were walked by the UCSB pitching staff. A sac bunt from
Deena Pederson pushed Richards into scoring position. She was able to advance to third on a wild pitch. Then on a fielding error with two outs, Lavrov reached first, and Richards was able to score. Reynoso powered a double to right center, plating Aguirre and Lavrov.
Coming back to the top of the lineup in the sixth, Bosinger doubled to left center and then advanced to third on wild pitch. She was able to score on sac fly from Aguirre, extending the Tritons' lead to 7-1. In an attempt to rally, the Gauchos capitalized on UC San Diego errors to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth, 7-4.
In the top of the seventh,
Kelley Renner pinch ran for Reynoso after she was walked. A double from Hassis advanced Renner to third. Richards sent a sac fly out to center field allowing Renner to score. The Tritons defense held on to make it through the bottom of the seventh with no more Gaucho runs.
Gabby Williams tossed five shutout innings.
GAME THREE:
The Tritons jumped on the board early in game three.
Keila Bosinger was walked to get on and then stole second. On a sac bunt from
Bobbi Aguirre, Bosinger advanced to third. She was then plated on a sac fly from
Isabel Lavrov. UCSB responded in the bottom of the inning with a single unearned run, tying the game at 1-1.
Both teams remained scoreless until the Tritons broke the tie with a single run in the fifth. On her first hit of the season,
Morgan Eng laced a single past the third baseman. She stole second to put herself in scoring position for the top of lineup to bring her home. Lead-off hitter Bosinger sent a single over the infield into left allowing Eng to make it home.
Deena Pederson ripped the game open with a bases-clearing triple out to left center. She plated Lavrov and
Marissa Hassis, who both singled to get on, and
Alexa DeMarse, who was walked by the Gauchos.
Zoe Richards bunted to reach on a fielder's choice and plated Pederson in the process, extending the Tritons lead to 6-1.
The seventh inning end at the top of the order once again with Bosinger lacing a single down the left field line. Aguirre followed with a single sent past the first baseman and on the throw, both Bosinger and Aguirre advanced.
Kelley Renner entered as a pinch runner for Aguirre at second. Lavrov then sent a bomb over the left field fence on a 0-1 pitch count to plate Bosinger and Renner, making the score 9-1.
The Tritons' pitching staff combined for six shutout innings.
TRITON TIDBITS
- This series sweep marks the second sweep by the Tritons in Big West Conference play. Their first sweep happened in the 2021 season when UC San Diego swept CSUN in three games.
- Freshman Morgan Eng recorded her first collegiate hit in game three.
- The Tritons and Gauchos are now 7-12 in their all-time record.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego heads across town to the University of San Diego for a rescheduled game from earlier this season. First pitch against the Toreros is scheduled for 4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 30 at the USD Softball Complex.
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.
