LA JOLLA, Calif. – Despite dominant pitching from Jada Cecil, UC San Diego fell to Western Carolina University in a 1-0 defeat on Tuesday afternoon at Triton Softball Field.
 
UC San Diego drops to 7-13 while the Catamounts improve to 4-8.
 
Pitching her third complete game, Jada Cecil tossed 11 strikeouts with no walks and gave up four hits. Pitching 127 pitches, 66.9% of those were strikes. The right-hander forced seven flyouts and three ground outs. An unearned run came in third on a Triton error.
 
At the plate, Morgan Eng led the team going 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases. Adding their support was Clarissa Reynoso who went 1-for-2 with a walk and Deena Pederson who went 1-for-1 with a walk. The Tritons stranded 11 runners this afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A lone error from the Tritons in the top of the third allowed the Catamounts to jump on the board with a 1-0 lead.
 
UC San Diego threatened in every inning except the second and fifth innings. Trying to get on the board first, Morgan Eng laced a single up the middle to become the lead off runner in the first. Georgia Heathcock was then hit by the WCU pitching staff to get on and advance Eng. Both Eng and Heathcock then stole third and second. Both runners were stranded as the third out came.
 
In the fourth, UC San Diego loaded the bases when Bobbi Aguirre reached on a fielder's choice with WCU getting the first out of the inning. Aguirre waited on first as the second out was punched. Clarissa Reynoso was walked on a full count and advanced Aguirre to second. Coming in as a pinch hitter, Deena Pederson cracked a single to left field on the first pitch of the at bat to load the bases. Aguirre was unable to cash in as the final out was recorded on a fielder's choice.
 
Attempting to rally in the seventh, Eng was walked on a full count by the Catamounts. Mariah Melendez advanced Eng on a sacrifice bunt as she was out at first. Eng was in scoring position for the third time in the game as the tying run and was stranded as the final two outs were punched.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Tossing all seven innings, Jada Cecil struck out 11 Catamounts and gave up only four hits. The right-hander forced seven flyouts and three ground outs.
• Morgan Eng was 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases. Over the past four games, she is 4-for-7 (.571 BA) with three stolen bases.
• The Tritons stranded 11 runners on base today and enter an eight game losing streak.
• Meeting Western Carolina for the first time, the Catamounts now lead the series 1-0 after today's matchup.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego heads to the Lance Up Invite hosted by Cal Baptist in Riverside, Calif. Games vs. Cal Baptist with be streamed but live stats will be available for all games. The Tritons begin action at 2:30 pm on March 10 vs. Syracuse. More information can be found on the tournament central.

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.