LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego softball achieved a thrilling doubleheader sweep over UC Riverside on Sunday, winning the first game 5-4 in 10 innings and the second game 2-1 in eight innings at Triton Softball Field. Both games were ended in walk off doubles.
After earning their first Big West series win and sweep, UC San Diego improves to 6-18 overall and 4-5 in conference play. After a hot start, UC Riverside moves to 14-18 overall and 5-4 in Big West competition.
In game one,
Elise Nishimura hit a .500 batting average knocking two teammates in, including the game winning run. Alexis Jiminez knocked in two teammates as well and scored a run of her own.
Morgan Eng,
Jaden Hill,
Lily Hermosillo and
Alexa DeMarse each scored a run. From in the circle, it was a team effort as three Triton pitchers came in.
Callie Christian allowed only one earned run on four hits before
Claire Adams took over allowing only one run on five hits to earn the save.
India Caldwell finished for the Tritons allowing only one hit in her two innings of work and punching out three.
In game two,
Zara Wasserman led the way at the plate going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Alexa DeMarse added her help with an RBI and a run scored.
Callie Christian started in the circle allowing no runs on one hit and a walk over three innings of work.
Claire Adams came in for two innings of work and allowed one run on three hits with one walk and a strikeout. Finishing in the circle,
India Caldwell went three innings and held the visitors to no runs on two hits, a walk, and three strikeouts.
UC SAN DIEGO 5, UC RIVERSIDE 4 (10 INN.)
Getting a hot start, UC San Diego struck first with three runs in the first inning.
Morgan Eng became the leadoff runner when she was hit by pitch and proceeded to tally her 100th career stolen base to get to second.
Jaden Hill advanced her to third on a single laced out to left field and the shortstop quickly stole second. Alexis Jiminez then powered a triple out to right center to clear the bases and put two on the board. From her position at third, Jimenez was only 60 feet from home when
Lily Hermosillo knocked a sac fly to plate the freshman, 3-0.
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UCR responded in the second with two runs, 3-2. In the third inning, each team tallied a run.
Elise Nishimura earned her own sac fly as she plated DeMarse, 4-3.
The visitors knotted the score at 4-4 in the top of the fifth. Both teams remained scoreless for the next five innings.
Claire Adams tallied three strikeouts from the fourth inning to ninth. In the top of the tenth,
India Caldwell took the side down in order bookending the inning with two punchouts.
After leaving two runs on in the ninth inning, the Tritons were able to convert in the final inning on two hits. Hermosillo became the lead runner after slicing a single through the infield to right center. On a 1-2 count, Nishimura powered a double to right center on the sixth pitch of her at-bat to plate Hermosillo for the walk off win, 5-4.
UC SAN DIEGO 2, UC RIVERSIDE 1 (8 INN.)
A pitcher's duel from the start, the finale had a slow start for both teams. Both sides fell in order in the first inning and again for the visitors in the top of the second.
Zara Wasserman was able to make it to third in the bottom of the second but was left stranded. In the top of the third,
Callie Christian stranded UCR runners on third and second after forcing a ground out and a pop up.
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Striking first on two doubles in the fourth, UCR brought the first run across to go up, 0-1.
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Responding in the bottom of the same inning,
Jaden Hill laced a single past third base to become the leadoff runner and was forced out on a fielder's choice allowing
Alexa DeMarse to become the new lead runner. A two-out error allowed DeMarse to advance and Hermosillo to reach first. Wasserman hit a hot shot past the shortstop to bring DeMarse across the plate, 1-1.
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The board remained empty for the next four innings until the bottom of the eighth. A fielder's choice punched an out and allowed Hill to reach as the go-ahead run. On her lone hit of the final game, DeMarse powered a double to right center to bring Hill in for the victory, 2-1.
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TRITON TIDBITS
- The Tritons continue to lead the all-time series at 9-6.
- In game one, Morgan Eng earned her 100th career stolen base and is 25 away from setting the program record.
- Alexa DeMarse led the Tritons in the three-game series with a .364 batting avg. scoring three runs and knocking three in.
- In the finale, Callie Christian pitched three innings, allowing only one hit and issuing one walk, while managing a total of 33 pitches, 17 of which were strikes.
- Ryanna Alano played in all three games against her older sister, Alyssa Alano on UC Riverside going 1-for-2 with a run scored and three putouts.
- Earning three wins this weekend, India Caldwell posted a 0.00 ERA tossing a complete game shutout for a total of 12 innings of work. The right-hander gave up five hits and two walks while striking out 13 and giving up no extra base hits.
- UC San Diego's last conference sweep was in 2024 vs. Cal State Bakersfield at Triton Softball Field.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will break up conference play with a Tuesday morning matinee vs. New Mexico at Triton Softball Field. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. on the La Jolla campus and will be live on ESPN+ with live statistics available via 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.
