LA JOLLA, Calif.  – UC San Diego split the opening day of the San Diego Classic, topping Yale, 9-1 and falling to BYU, 4-1. The Tritons move to 8-9, Yale drops to 0-2, and BYU is now 12-4.
 
UC SAN DIEGO 9, YALE 1 (5 INN.)
UC San Diego opened the San Diego Classic with a bang. In the first two innings, Bobbi Aguirre and Isabel Lavrov, both slammed solo homeruns over the left field fence. Yale responded in the fourth with a solo homerun.
 
The heat came again in the fourth inning as the Tritons scored three runs on the Bulldogs. Marissa Hassis led off for UC San Diego with a single laced through left field. Alexa DeMarse advanced her to second with a sac bunt. Then, back at the top of the order, Sophia Real sent a double past the third baseman to plate Hassis. Another homerun over the left field fence by Keila Bosinger, her fourth homer of the season, plated Real.
 
The Tritons' final attacks came in the bottom of the fifth. A triple away from the hitting the cycle, Lavrov led off to lace a single through the left side. Clarissa Reynoso then reached on a fielder's choice. Hassis drove a double through the left field to advance Reynoso to third. Morgan Eng entered the game for Reynoso as a pinch runner. DeMarse plated Eng and Hassis with a single laced up the middle and was able to get to second on the throw. Deena Pederson advanced DeMarse to third with a single line drive to the shortstop.
 
With runners on the corners, Bosinger stepped into the box and reached on an error. DeMarse and Pederson came in to score and finalize the game with a 9-1 score in five innings.
 
Jada Cecil got the start for the Tritons and allowed one run on one hit with eight strikeouts and no walks.
 
BYU 4, UC SAN DIEGO 1
The Cougars jumped on the board early with two runs in the first inning. Both teams remained scoreless till the bottom of the fifth.
 
Alexa DeMarse laced a single to right center field then advanced to second by a single to left center from Deena Pederson. Clarissa Reynoso singled past the shortstop to load the bases as the Tritons threatened to take the lead. Pinch hitting, Gabby Williams battled through a full count and six pitches to reach on a fielder's choice to plate DeMarse.
 
BYU extended their lead with two more runs in the sixth and seventh.
 
Kaia Simpson got the start for UC San Diego and allowed two runs on three hits. Jada Cecil relieved Simpson in the second and allowed two runs on two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
 
QUOTABLE
"We competed today," said head coach Patti Gerckens. "We were aggressive at the plate and smart."

The Tritons hit .500 against Yale and Isabel Lavrov went 3-for-3, "[Lavrov] is showing her maturity at the plate. She waits for her pitch and is getting positive results thanks to that patience." Gerckens added.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• This is the second Division I tournament hosted by UC San Diego and the first year the Tritons have been a part of the San Diego Classic.
• Isabel Lavrov went 3-for-3 vs. Yale and was a triple away from hitting for the cycle.
• UC San Diego tied their season high for homeruns vs. Yale with three homeruns from Bobbi Aguirre, Isabel Lavrov, and Keila Bosinger.
• Marissa Hassis recorded two runs on two hits with two at bats.

UP NEXT
The Tritons continue the San Diego Classic on Saturday with two games vs. Boston University and Utah State starting at 1:30 pm. Both games will air live on ESPN+.

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.