CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. —UC San Diego dropped a pair of games to close out play in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday. The Tritons (10-6) fell 7-6 to Seattle U despite two home runs and 11 hits in the opener. Later that night, UC San Diego came up short in a 10-3 defeat to Rutgers – the Tritons' fifth consecutive setback.
SEATTLE U 7, UC SAN DIEGO 6
Seattle U's decisive sequence in the first inning set the tone, as Taylor Fitch hit a three-run homer to right center after walks and a single. This early lead provided the Redhawks with the cushion they needed to withstand the Tritons' persistent rallies throughout the game.
UC San Diego responded in the second inning, with
Elise Nishimura delivering a crucial two-RBI single to cut the deficit.
Marley Espiau's solo homer in the third inning further tightened the contest. In the fourth,
Dylan Kunkle's two-run homer brought UC San Diego within striking distance, narrowing SU's lead to 7-5.
The final innings saw the Tritons continue their efforts, with a run-scoring single by
Samantha Womack in the fifth tightening the score to 7-6. However, UC San Diego's potential rally in the seventh was stifled with runners left on base.
Kunkle recorded two hits, two runs, and two RBIs, including a home run, showcasing contributions to the team's offense. Espiau added a home run and collected two hits, driving in one run to boost the scoring.
Gianna Ioja crossed the plate twice and Nishimura delivered two RBIs with her single hit, aiding the team's efforts in scoring.
Zoë Rutherford provided 3 scoreless innings of relief, giving up 2 hits while striking out 2 and not issuing any walks.
RUTGERS 10, UC SAN DIEGO 3
Rutgers took control in the fifth inning, scoring seven runs to establish a commanding lead. The big blow was a three-run homer from Sam Rohwer. Rutgers added another three-run homer by Makenna Coleman, pushing its lead to 9-2 by the inning's end.
UC San Diego found momentum in the same inning when
Samantha Womack doubled and scored on a
Lily Hermosillo single.
Ryanna Alano, who pinch-ran for Hermosillo, crossed the plate on a
Dylan Kunkle single, cutting the deficit. Despite
Haley Garcia singling and advancing to third on a wild pitch in the sixth, a sacrifice fly by
Marley Espiau was the only additional run scored, as the team was unable to muster further rallies.
Samantha Womack recorded a double and scored a run, and
Dylan Kunkle, appearing as a pinch hitter, collected two hits and drove in a run in two plate appearances.
Lily Hermosillo contributed with a hit and one RBI over two at-bats. In the circle,
Auddrey Lira pitched two innings, allowing one earned run while striking out one batter.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Shortstop Marley Espiau has a team-high 10 extra base hits and 21 runs batted in on the season.
- The two homer effort in the Seattle U game marked the Tritons' third multi-home run game of 2026.
- The five games played over the last three days in the desert were UC San Diego's first outside of San Diego this spring.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego heads north to take on Pacific and Fresno State in the Libby Matson Tournament next weekend in Stockton. The Tritons will face those two teams twice apiece, with the two contests against host UOP broadcast on ESPN+. Action gets underway on Friday at 11 a.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 has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-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 NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
