LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego dropped a pair of games to Hawai'i on Saturday at Triton Softball Field, falling 10-5 in the opener and 1-0 in a tightly contested second game. The Tritons moved to 18-25 overall and 7-14 in Big West play after an early surge in game one was erased by Hawai'i's middle-inning rallies, while game two turned into a pitcher's duel decided by a single swing.

GAME ONE: HAWAI'I 10, UC SAN DIEGO 5
UC San Diego came out strong, building an early lead before Hawai'i rallied across the middle innings to take control.

The Tritons struck first in the opening frame when Haley Garcia drew a walk and Marley Espiau was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Maalia Cherry's three-run home run to left that made it 3-0. UC San Diego added another run in the second inning as Tori Hinostro doubled and later scored on Garcia's RBI triple to extend the advantage to 4-0.

Hawai'i got on the board in the third inning with an RBI single, but the Tritons still held a 4-1 lead entering the fifth.

That's where the momentum shifted. Hawai'i put together a four-run fifth inning, using a combination of timely hits and situational execution to tie the game and take a 5-4 lead.

The Rainbow Wahine added to their advantage in the sixth with a three-run home run to stretch the lead to 8-4, and tacked on two more runs in the seventh to make it 10-4.

UC San Diego plated a run in the bottom of the seventh when Espiau singled and came around to score on a double by Zara Wasserman and an RBI groundout from Gianna Ioja, but the comeback attempt fell short.

GAME TWO: HAWAI'I 1, UC SAN DIEGO 0
The second game featured a tightly contested pitching duel, with Hawai'i capitalizing on an early opportunity to secure the sweep.

Hawai'i's lone run came in the second inning on a solo home run, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage.

UC San Diego threatened multiple times but was unable to break through. In the first inning, Espiau singled and Wasserman followed with a base hit to put two runners on, but the Tritons could not convert. In the second, Jackie Tremper doubled to lead off the inning, though she was left stranded.

The Tritons' best opportunity came in the third inning. Garcia doubled to right-center and Espiau was hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard. A groundout moved both into scoring position, but Hawai'i worked out of the jam to preserve the lead.

UC San Diego continued to generate chances, including a sixth-inning single from Tremper, but timely hitting remained elusive. The Tritons finished with five hits but left multiple runners on base.

Hawai'i was held to five hits as well, but the early solo home run proved to be the difference as UC San Diego was unable to find the equalizer late.

TRITON TIDBITS

• Maalia Cherry's three-run home run in game one accounted for three of UC San Diego's five runs and tied the program record for most home runs in a single season.
• Haley Garcia recorded multiple extra-base hits on the day, including a triple and a double.
• Marley Espiau reached base multiple times across the doubleheader and scored twice in the opener.
• Callie Howard tossed a complete game in game two, allowing just one run.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues Big West play on the road with a three-game series at CSUN beginning Friday, April 24 in Northridge, Calif. The Tritons will open with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., followed by a single game on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m. All games will stream live on ESPN+, with 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.