LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego softball dropped two games on the second day of the La Jolla Invitational to Winthrop, 9-0, and to Portland State, 7-4.
 
The Tritons move to 0-3.
 
WINTHROP 9, UC SAN DIEGO 0 (5 inn.)
At the plate, the Tritons only tallied two hits against the Winthrop ace. Morgan Eng was 1-for-2 with a walk and three stolen bases. Three Tritons put time in the circle against the Winthrop offense with Claire Adams holding the Eagles to zero hits and runs, one walk, two strikeouts.
 
The Tritons threatened in each inning except the fifth. After getting on base with a leadoff-single, Morgan Eng proceeded to steal second to get into scoring position. Lily Hermosillo battled a six-pitch at-bat before earning the walk. The duo proceeded to steal second and third with one out on the board. Both runs were left stranded as the second two outs were tallied.
 
The second looked like a pitchers' duel as India Caldwell tallied two strikeouts in the top of the inning. Winthrop tallied two of their own strikeouts in the bottom half.
 
The Eagles blew open the third inning after scoring eight runs in the top of the third. The Tritons responded in the bottom when Eng earned a walk and stole second. The next three Tritons fell in order.
 
In the fourth, Winthrop hit a solo shot in the top of the inning to pull away to 9-0. The Tritons threatened again in the bottom of the inning with Elise Nishimura reaching third. A double play cut the Tritons' opportunity short and the game end at the end of five innings.
 
PORTLAND STATE 7, UC SAN DIEGO 4
UC San Diego was led by Alexa DeMarse who went 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. Chloe Lesko added her bat, going 1-for-2 with two walks and eight putouts. Ryanna Alano made her debut at the plate going 1-for-2 with a run scored. India Caldwell put in three innings of work against the Vikings with two hits and two runs allowed and four strikeouts.
 
Striking first, Portland State put two runs on the board to start the game. UC San Diego responded in the bottom with two runs of their own. Elise Nishimura became the lead runner after singling past the pitcher. Lily Hermosillo earned a walk after an eight pitch at-bat, advancing Nishimura. Chloe Lesko then earned a walk of her own to load the bases. Alexa DeMarse lined a single up the middle to bring in Nishimura and Lexi Ellenwood, who pinch ran for Hermosillo, to tie PSU at 2-2.
 
UC San Diego was able to go ahead in the second inning on an Eagle error. Emma Umemura began the inning with a single up the middle to get her on as the go ahead run. A PSU error allowed Nishimura to reach and score Umemura.
 
The Vikings responded with three runs in the top of the third to take the lead back to 5-3. PSU continued to pull away with two more runs in the fourth and fifth.
 
UC San Diego fought back in the bottom of the sixth. Ryanna Alano laced a single past second to become the leadoff runner. She moved into scoring position on a ground out and was able to advance on a wild pitch to third. Haley Garcia was able to get on after earning a walk. Morgan Eng was able to get spinning single down to bring Alano in to score her first collegiate run. With two runners on third and second and two outs on the board, the Tritons were unable to execute the comeback.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• vs. Winthrop Lineup: Morgan Eng, Elise Nishimura, Lily Hermosillo, Zara Wasserman, Alexa DeMarse, Marissa Hassis, Emma Umemura, Chloe Lesko, Haley Garcia
• vs. Portland State Lineup: Morgan Eng, Elise Nishimura, Lily Hermosillo, Chloe Lesko, Alexa DeMarse, Marissa Hassis, Samantha Womack, Emma Umemura, Haley Garcia
• Lexi Ellenwood and Ryanna Alano scored their first collegiate runs.
• Collegiate debuts: Lexi Ellenwood (vs. PSU), Lauren Rozell (vs. Winthrop)

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will wrap the La Jolla Invitational with a rescheduled game vs. Portland State on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. There will be final neutral matchup between Winthrop and Portland State.
 
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.