LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego dropped the three-game series to UC Santa Barbara as the Gauchos battled back in the seventh inning of game three to win, 2-1, on Monday afternoon at Triton Softball Field.
 
The Tritons drop to 13-17 overall and even out in Big West play at 3-3, and the Gauchos improve to 16-11 overall and improve to 3-3 in Big West play.
 
Getting the start for the final game of the series, Jada Cecil tossed a one-hitter over five innings of work. The sophomore allowed no hits until the fifth when the Gauchos broke it up with a triple. Cecil fanned eight Gauchos and allowed no runs with one walk. Coming on in as relief, Kaia Simpson allowed two runs on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work.
 
Battling at the plate, the Tritons earned six hits as a team with Keila Bosinger going 2-for-3 and Gabby Williams going 1-for-3 with a run and RBI on a solo home run. Williams' run was the solitary run for the gold and blue.

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a pitcher's duel on Monday afternoon as Ava Bradley from UC Santa Barbara and Jada Cecil from UC San Diego kept the board empty until the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Threatening in the first and third, the Tritons were unable to cash in on their runners. Facing two outs in the first, Bobbi Aguirre laced a hit past third base to become the lead runner. A double cracked to right center by Keila Bosinger advanced Aguirre to third. With runners on third and second, UCSB turned over the inning before any damage could be done.
 
In the third, it was Deena Pederson who faced two outs and was able to single down the left field line on a 1-2 count. With Aguirre at the plate, Pederson stole second to move into scoring position. The lead runner was left stranded as the third out was punched.
 
In the top of the fifth, Jada Cecil's no-hitter shutout was broken up by the Gauchos before Cecil recorded her eighth strikeout and turned the inning over. UC San Diego jumped on the board at 1-0 when Gabby Williams powered a lead-off solo shot down the right field line in the bottom of the inning.
 

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UCSD 1 - UCSB 0
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— UC San Diego Softball (@UCSDsoftball) March 27, 2023

 
Kaia Simpson went one, two, three as she came on as relief for Cecil in the top of the sixth. Bradley returned the favor in the bottom of the inning, retiring UC San Diego in order and keeping the score 1-0 Tritons.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Gauchos rallied back to score two runs on two hits to take the lead. In the bottom of the inning, Alexa DeMarse was walked by UCSB to become the tying run. Two outs came and then Georgia Heathcock sent a slow roller to the shortstop to outrun the throw and advance DeMarse to second. The Gauchos held onto their one run lead as they stranded DeMarse and Heathcock to win the game and take the series.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Georgia Heathcock, Deena Pederson, Bobbi Aguirre, and Gabby Williams each recorded a single hit.
• Gabby Williams solo shot was her second home run of the season and only the fourth homer for UC San Diego in the 2023 season.
• Keila Bosinger was 2-for-3 today and went 5-for-9 over the series. Both Bosinger and Pederson recorded two doubles against the Gauchos.
• After fanning 8 Gauchos today, Jada Cecil is second in the Big West for batters struck out (86) and batters struck out looking (28).
• UC San Diego still leads the all-time series vs. UC Santa Barbara at 7-3 in spite of today's loss.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego heads across the Pacific for a three-game series in Hawai'i. The Rainbow Wahine will host the Tritons opening the series with a single game on Friday, March 31 with action set to start at 9 pm PST. The series will end the following day with a doubleheader beginning at 3 pm PST. All three games will be live on ESPN+ with live stats 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.