LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego closed out its series against Cal Poly with a dominant 6-0 victory at Triton Softball Field, powered by a big third inning and a complete-game shutout in the circle. The Tritons improved to 17-22 overall and 7-11 in Big West play, securing their strongest stretch of conference success under head coach Nikki Palmer.

HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego wasted no time taking control, striking first in the opening inning behind Maalia Cherry's two-run home run to deep left field. The blast scored Marley Espiau and gave the Tritons an early 2-0 lead while also marking Cherry's ninth home run of the season, setting a program record for most home runs in the NCAA Division I era.

The Tritons broke the game open in the third inning, plating four runs on four hits. Haley Garcia led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Espiau. Cherry delivered again with an RBI double to extend the lead before Zara Wasserman drew an intentional walk and Lily Hermosillo singled to load the bases.

Tori Hinostro followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in another run, and Samantha Womack capped the inning with a two-RBI single through the right side, scoring Wasserman and Hermosillo to make it 6-0.

UC San Diego finished with eight hits, including four extra-base hits, and continued to apply pressure throughout the game while capitalizing on key opportunities.

In the circle, Callie Howard delivered a standout performance, tossing her first career complete game shutout. The freshman allowed just four hits across seven innings while striking out three and issuing no walks, shutting down every scoring opportunity for the Mustangs.

FIRST CAREER SHUT OUT FOR HOWARD!! ??

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— UC San Diego Softball (@UCSDsoftball) April 12, 2026

TRITON TIDBITS

• Maalia Cherry's first-inning home run was her ninth of the season, setting a program record in the NCAA Division I era.
• The victory marked the most consecutive conference wins for Nikki Palmer as head coach of the Tritons.
• Callie Howard recorded her first career complete-game shutout.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Nikki Palmer: "We trusted the work we've put in and what we learned from the first game, understanding our opponent and sticking to what we know. It was about trusting ourselves, believing in the process, and knowing we could get it done without doubt. That showed up today."
 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego heads across town for a midweek matchup at the University of San Diego on Wednesday, April 15. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
 
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 84 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.