NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – On Friday afternoon, UC San Diego dropped both games of the series opening doubleheader to CSUN after being shut out in game one, 7-0, and falling in game two, 10-2.
The Tritons drop to 16-31 overall and 9-13 in Big West play. The Matadors improve to 23-24 overall and 7-16 in conference play.
The Tritons struggled at the plate with only four earning a hit and
Hailey Mulligan going 2-for-3 to lead the team.
Morgan Eng tallied a hit and earned a walk as the only other Triton to get on twice. In the circle,
India Caldwell got the start holding the Matadors to two runs on two hits over five innings of work with only one of those runs earned.
Claire Adams entered as relief giving up five runs on five hits over one inning of work.
In game two, the Tritons avoided the shutout with the help of
Lily Hermosillo and
Mariah Melendez who both went 1-for-2 with a run batted in. Zoë Richards and
Marissa Hassis scored the Tritons two runs and went 1-for-3 at the dish. In the circle,
Shelby Thompson got the start, allowing five earned runs on nine hits.
Claire Adams entered as relief for Thompson and allowed two runs on three hits.
CSUN 7, UC SAN DIEGO 0
Beginning as a pitcher's duel in Northridge, the Tritons and Matadors were scoreless across the first inning even though
Morgan Eng and
Hailey Mulligan manage to get on both corners.
India Caldwell retired the side in order to start the series.
A Triton error in the bottom of the second proved damaging when the Matadors capitalized and brought a runner across to go ahead, 1-0. It wasn't until the fifth when another score was added to the board due to another Triton error, 2-0.
Tragedy struck in the bottom of the sixth when CSUN busted the game open with five runs scored, 7-0. In the top of the seventh,
Lily Hermosillo managed to get into scoring position from a walk and a single by
Marissa Hassis. The two-out rally continued when Eng singled past the shortstop to load the bases. The Tritons left all three runs stranded as the final out was punched. Over the course of the game, eight runs were left on for the gold and blue.
CSUN 7, UC SAN DIEGO 2
The hosts got on the board first in the bottom of the first with two runs, 2-0.
Zoë Richards powered a triple to the right field warning track in the top of the second on two outs. The senior was left stranded 60 feet from home as the Tritons were unable to cash in before the final out.
CSUN extended their lead in the third, adding two more runs to the board, 4-0. The Tritons responded in the top of the fourth with two runs.
Marissa Hassis got the inning started with a single poked through the left side and was immediately advanced by a single from
Alexa DeMarse who sent a hard shot down the right field line. A fielder's choice allowed Richards to reach and advanced Hassis to third.
Lily Hermosillo sent a single to center field to advance Richards to third and bring Hassis home, 4-1. Then,
Mariah Melendez sent a single through the right side to advance Hermosillo to third and score Richards, 4-2. Hermosillo and Melendez were left stranded as the final out was tallied.
The Matadors proceeded to score six more runs across the final three innings for the final score of 10-2.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Over the course of the doubleheader, the Tritons left 13 runs on.
- Mariah Melendez and Lily Hermosillo went 1-for-2 with each batting a run in.
- Zoë Richards and Marissa Hassis scored the Tritons two runs and went 1-for-3 at the dish.
- Richards tallied her fourth triple of the season in game two of the doubleheader.
- Hailey Mulligan went 3-for-6 at the plate.
UP NEXT
The Tritons look to avoid the sweep and wrap the series vs. CSUN on Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. at Matador Diamond in Northridge.
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.
