LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego could not break its drought on Friday, dropping both games of the doubleheader to Dayton by 4-2 and 5-1 scorelines.  

India Caldwell began in the circle for the Tritons in the 4-2 extra innings loss. Caldwell pitched all 10 innings, racking up 160 pitches for a 1.40 ERA. Gabby Williams and Marissa Hassis each collected an RBI, with Lexi O'Gorman hitting a team-leading two hits. 

Williams took over pitching duties in the second game, earning a 5.60 ERA after conceding four earned runs on four hits. Shelby Thompson pitched from the sixth onward tossing only two hits and allowing no runs. Williams notched another RBI, and Alexa DeMarse, Morgan Eng, and Deena Pederson had a hit each in the 5-1 loss. 

DAYTON 4, UC SAN DIEGO 2 
The Tritons got on the board early courtesy of a Gabby Williams RBI single that saw Morgan Eng to the plate.  

After a rapid second inning, the Flyers dialed in. A walk and a double put players on second and third before a cagey infield dinger made it 1-1. An unmoving Brooklyn Lee in the home plate base path prevented Dayton from taking the lead. 

Deena Pederson nearly scored a run by herself after stealing second and third in the sixth inning. However, Dayton was able to close the inning before the Triton could steal the lead. 

Extra innings were in order after four scoreless innings. A short hit put a homeward bound Flyer into a pickle, ending in a chase down out to keep the game tied.  

Lexi O'Gorman broke off a deep left field single in the eighth, prompting Marissa Hassis to round third base. However, a pinpoint throw to home plate was just in time to save the game for Dayton.  

The ninth inning saw the Tritons escape unscathed on defense, setting up a chance to walk it off. After a failed third base steal attempt, UC San Diego reconciled with a walk and hit by pitch to get two Tritons on base. An infield mishap saw pinch runner Reilly Erickson make it to third before a strikeout forced a tenth inning. 

The Flyers went ahead in the tenth inning with three runs scored to take the lead at 4-1 heading into the bottom of the inning. 

Marissa Hassis collected an RBI single to give the Tritons a chance. An O'Gorman single brought Hassis to third base, setting up Pederson, who ran up the count to 3-2 before striking out. 

DAYTON 2, UC SAN DIEGO 1 

Dayton got off to a hot start, scoring four runs in the top of the first. The visitors tacked on another un in the third to stretch the lead to 5-0. 

Williams cracked the Triton's scoreless streak in the fourth inning on a deep left field sac fly that gave Pederson — who stole second and third again — enough time to make it 5-1. 

Shelby Thompson took over the circle from the sixth inning, throwing a strikeout against her first batter. Two hustle plays from Alexa DeMarse— a laser throw for a first base out and a diving catch — kept the Flyers scoreless for a third consecutive inning. 

A flyout secured the victory for the visitors. 

TRITON TIDBITS 

• Marissa Hassis' RBI single was her first hit of this season. 
• The first contest's ten innings was the longest a game has gone this season. 
• Lexi O'Gorman extended her hitting streak to seven games before it ended in game two. 
• This was the first meeting between the two teams. 

UP NEXT 
UC San Diego finishes its series against Dayton at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 24. Live statistics can be found 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 began a new era in 2020 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 earned 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 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.