FULLERTON, Calif. — UC San Diego closed out its 2026 campaign on Wednesday at Anderson Family Field, dropping a pair of tightly contested games in the Big West Championship bracket. The Tritons fell 10-9 to UC Santa Barbara in a dramatic opener before coming up short against Long Beach State, 5-4, in the elimination game. UC San Diego finished the season with a 23-28 overall record after battling through two high-scoring contests that featured late-inning momentum swings and standout offensive performances.
GAME ONE: UC SANTA BARBARA 10, UC SAN DIEGO 9
The Tritons produced their most explosive offensive performance of the season in game one, recording a season-high 18 hits and belting three home runs, but UC Santa Barbara used a walk-off rally in the ninth inning to escape with the win.
The Gauchos struck early before UC San Diego answered with a three-run third inning.
Marley Espiau delivered an RBI single, and
Maalia Cherry followed with an RBI infield hit as the Tritons capitalized on a UCSB throwing error to grab the lead.
UC San Diego continued to apply pressure in the fifth.
Zara Wasserman doubled to spark the inning before
Lily Hermosillo launched a three-run home run to left field, her first homer of the season, extending the Tritons' advantage.
The back-and-forth battle continued throughout the afternoon. Wasserman added a home run of her own while Cherry finished with multiple RBIs to keep the offense rolling. In the ninth inning,
Samantha Womack gave UC San Diego a late boost with a go-ahead solo home run, putting the Tritons in front 9-8.
However, the Gauchos answered in the bottom half. The Gauchos tied the game with a solo home run before stringing together several hits, capped by a walk-off RBI single that sealed the 10-9 victory.
Callie Howard delivered a career-long outing in the circle, pitching 8.1 innings while striking out two batters.
GAME TWO: LONG BEACH STATE 5, UC SAN DIEGO 4
UC San Diego battled back from an early deficit in the nightcap, tying the game with a four-run fifth inning, but Long Beach State answered in the sixth to end the Tritons' season.
The Beach built an early lead before the Tritons erupted offensively in the fifth.
Lily Hermosillo started the rally with a double to left center, and after the bases loaded,
Callie Christian drew a walk to force in a run.
Marley Espiau then delivered a two-run single, and a throwing error allowed another run to score as UC San Diego tied the contest at 4-4.
Long Beach State regained the lead in the sixth inning after a leadoff walk and a wild pitch put the go-ahead run in scoring position before an RBI single through the left side made it 5-4.
The Tritons threatened in the seventh inning, putting runners on base, but Long Beach State held on to secure the victory.
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego recorded a season-high 18 hits in game one against UC Santa Barbara.
- Tyla Arbuckle registered her first four-hit game of the season and collected her first collegiate double in the opener.
- Callie Howard pitched a career-high 8.1 innings in game one.
- Lily Hermosillo hit her first home run of the season in the opening game and drove in three runs.
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.
