SAN JOSE, Calif. – UC San Diego softball defeated San Jose State in a Saturday afternoon rematch at the Spartans' field, 5-4.
The Tritons improve to 5-3 and the Spartans move to 1-6.
Getting the start in the circle for the Tritons,
Kaia Simpson allowed one earned run on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Three Spartan runs scored due to fielding errors. Coming in as relief,
Shelby Thompson saw no runs allowed and only gave up two hits. The lefty forced three flyouts and six groundouts.
At the plate,
Deena Pederson went a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Four different Tritons were walked, and a run was scored due to a Spartan error.
Bobbi Aguirre added her support at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a run batted in on that lone hit. Zoe Richard's lone hit also brought in a Triton runner and the junior scored a run as well.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Hoping on the board first, UC San Diego scored three runs in the top of the second. After the Spartans walked
Marissa Hassis,
Clarissa Reynoso was walked as well to put two on for the Tritons.
Zoe Richards laced a double down the left field line and Hassis was able to score. As Reynoso rounded the turn the throw came in and she was tagged out at home.
Hailey Mulligan was walked by the Tritons after the first out was recorded.
Deena Pederson came up to the plate with two runners on and powered a triple to the right field warning track to plate Richards and Mulligan, and slide into third, safe.
San Jose State responded in the bottom of the inning with a lone run scored due to Triton error.
Another UC San Diego run was scored in the third when
Keila Bosinger laced a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. The fourth Triton walked in three inning was
Gabby Williams. On a Spartan error, Reynoso reached and Bosinger was able to score. Williams and Reynoso were stranded by the Tritons.
Another Triton error allowed another Spartan run to score, moving the score to 4-2. SJSU tied it in the bottom of the fourth.
Coming on as relief in the bottom of the fifth,
Shelby Thompson shut the Spartans out for two full innings of work. The Tritons' winning run came in the top of the sixth when Pederson lined a single past the pitcher. She immediately stole second with
Bobbi Aguirre at the plate. A single down the left field line from Aguirre was enough time for Pederson to make it home and take back the lead, 5-4.
QUOTABLE
While errors still seemed to trouble the Tritons, head coach
Patti Gerckens commented, "you have to give credit to our pitching staff,
Shelby Thompson and
Kaia Simpson both remained composed in the circle today and did their job. Our defense has to find a way to do theirs."
"
Deena Pederson had a great day at the plate," she added, "we are working on finding consistency offensively as a whole. We are facing solid teams tomorrow and putting our bats on good pitches is our focus. We need to challenge the defenses we are facing tomorrow."
TRITON TIDBITS
- Deena Pederson went 1.000 at the plate for the second time this season.
- Marissa Hassis was 1-for-3 with a walk today and leads the Tritons at the plate, batting a .538 average.
- This is the second game this season Shelby Thompson has shutout an opponent in three innings of work.
- The Triton pitching staff leads The Big West conference in strikeouts and is one of two teams that are perfect on the base paths at 12-for-12.
- Meeting San Jose State State for a second time, the series is now tied at 1-1.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues to compete at the Saint Mary's tournament with a Sunday morning doubleheader vs. Utah State at 9:00 am and Saint Mary's at 11:00 am. Live stats will be available on ucsdtritons.com.
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.
