LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego fell to Cal Poly on Friday night, 7-1, in the series opener at Triton Softball Field.
 
The Tritons drop to 16-33 overall and 9-15 in Big West play. The Mustangs improve to 26-17 overall and 16-8 in conference play.
 
Getting the start in the circle, Shelby Thompson allowed four earned runs (seven total) on 10 hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Coming on in as relief, Claire Adams gave up no runs on zero hits with one walk allowed. At the plate, Hailey Mulligan batted in the lone run on her only hit. Marissa Hassis scored that run after being walked by the Cal Poly pitching staff.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Scoreless on both sides for the first two innings, Cal Poly struck hard in the third with a four-run inning after an error caused havoc for the Tritons. The visitors slowly added to their lead with a single run scored in the fourth and two more in the fifth, 7-0.
 
After a one-two-three inning from Claire Adams, the Tritons managed to break up the shutout with a lone run. After earning the first walk of the game, Marissa Hassis became the lead runner for the gold and blue. Morgan Eng managed to poke a single past the third baseman to advance Hassis and get on. With two outs on the board, Hailey Mulligan laced a hit out to right field to advance Eng and plate Hassis, 1-7. The Tritons then loaded the bases but left all three stranded.
 
Trying to stay alive in the seventh, Alexa DeMarse fell after a hard fought 10-pitch at-bat as the leadoff hitter. Georgia Heathcock then powered a double down the left field line to get into scoring position for the gold and blue. Another out was tallied that advanced Heathcock to third before Mariah Melendez battled through seven pitches and ultimately fell for the final out.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Entering in the 6th, Claire Adams retired five batters in a row before giving up a walk. That runner was later caught stealing giving Adams a clean sheet for her two innings of work.
• Hailey Mulligan batted in her 22nd RBI of the season after going 1-for-3 at the plate.
• Marissa Hassis scored her 11th run of the year.
• The all-time versus series is now tied at 5-5.

 
UP NEXT
Triton softball finishes the 2024 season on Saturday, May 11 at Triton Softball Field in a doubleheader vs. Cal Poly beginning at 1 p.m.
 
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.