LA JOLLA, Calif. – Returning to Triton Softball Field after a long weekend of competition, the Tritons fell to crosstown foe University of San Diego in a Monday nightcap, 3-2.
UC San Diego moves to 6-5 and University of San Diego improves to 2-10.
Jada Cecil got the start for the Tritons, fanning seven Toreros in four innings of work. One unearned run crossed the plate on five hits with no walks. Coming on as relief,
Gabby Williams allowed two unearned runs on one hit with three strikeouts. The lefty forced two flyouts and four ground outs.
At the plate,
Keila Bosinger was 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Deena Pederson added her support with a walk, a hit, and two runs scored.
Gabby Williams battled at the plate going 2-for-3 with a walk. UC San Diego left 13 runners stranded on the bases tonight.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Jumping on the board first was the gold and blue with a run batted in by
Keila Bosinger. Leading off for the Tritons,
Deena Pederson was walked by the USD pitching staff. She quickly stole second and was then advanced to third on a ground out. On a suicide squeeze, Bosinger's bunt gave Pederson enough time to slide home.
Both teams remained scoreless in the next two innings as
Jada Cecil delt seven strikeouts to the Toreros. The Tritons threatened in the bottom of the third but were unable to convert. In the top of the fourth, the Toreros tied the score at 1-1.
Responding in the bottom of the inning, the Tritons once again threatened with runners on second but left them stranded. USD tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth to inch ahead at 3-1.
A two-out rally came for the Tritons in the bottom of the sixth when Pederson laced a single past third base on a 1-0 count. Facing the same count,
Bobbi Aguirre stepped up and cracked a single up the middle to advance Pederson and get the tying run on first. After a pitching change, Bosinger laced her own single up the middle to bring Pederson home from second and advanced Aguirre. With two outs on the board,
Gabby Williams battled through six pitches before she struck out, stranding Bosinger and Aguirre with the score at 3-2.
UC San Diego rallied again in the bottom of the seventh, with a runner on first,
Claire Adams earned her first collegiate hit as a pinch hitter and advanced
Reilly Erickson to second.
Alexa DeMarse was then hit by the Toreros' pitcher to load the bases. USD then turned a double play to cut the Tritons' rally short.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Jada Cecil and Gabby Williams combined for 130 pitches over seven innings with 10 strikeouts.
- Keila Bosinger was 3-for-4 tonight with two runs batted in. Both runs batted in were scored by Deena Pederson.
- Deena Pederson has recorded a hit in the past five games played and has scored in three of those five.
- The Tritons left 13 runners on base tonight.
- Meeting USD for a fourth time, the Toreros lead the series at 1-3.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will head to Cathedral City, Calif. for the iconic Mary Nutter Classic where they will compete in five games over three days. Notable opponents are No. 14 Washington, Arizona State, and Texas Tech. They kick off the classic on Feb. 24 at 1:00 pm vs. Portland State.
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.
