SAN DIEGO — UC San Diego secured a 7-3 victory over University of San Diego on Wednesday, earning its first win over the Toreros since 2021. The Tritons improved to 18-22 overall behind an 11-hit effort that featured four doubles and a home run.

HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego struck early and steadily built momentum, jumping out to a 5-1 lead through the first four innings behind a string of extra-base hits.

Maalia Cherry provided the early spark in the third inning, launching her 10th home run of the season to extend the Tritons' lead. USD responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single, but UCSD quickly regained control.

The breakthrough inning came in the fourth. After Jackie Tremper doubled to right center and UC San Diego loaded the bases, Haley Garcia delivered the defining swing of the game, a three-run triple to right field. The Tritons added another run on a Marley Espiau RBI single to push the lead to 5-1.

The Toreros responded in the fifth, using a pair of timely hits and a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 5-3, but the Tritons' bullpen limited further damage.

UC San Diego added insurance in the seventh. Gianna Ioja sparked the rally with a double before Tremper followed with her second two-RBI double of the game to right center, extending the lead to 7-3.

TRITON TIDBITS

• UC San Diego earned its first win over San Diego since 2021
• Auddrey Lira recorded her first collegiate victory
• Maalia Cherry hit her 10th home run of the season
• The Tritons now have 29 home runs on the year, within reach of the program record of 33

UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns home for a Big West series against Hawai'i on April 17 and 18. The Tritons will play a single game on Friday at 5 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m., where the team will also honor its seniors following the second game. All three games will stream live on ESPN+, be broadcast on KSDT radio, and have live stats available on 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 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.