Last week, April 5 to April 7, the UCSD softball team went 3–3 at the 10th annual Mizuno Tournament of Champions. After dropping its first two games against Cal Baptist University and losing to No. 21 nationally ranked Grand Canyon University, the Tritons fell into the silver bracket, in which they came out on top. In the 22-team tournament, California Collegiate Athletics Association opponent Cal State Dominguez Hills won the gold bracket. 

UCSD played three games on day one of the tournament, falling to Cal Baptist 0–2 and Grand Canyon 1–2 before beating Dominican University of California 1–0. The following day, UCSD conceded a tight 3–4 loss to the University of Hawaii at Hilo in its first game of the day before handily outdoing Chaminade University of Honolulu 4–0. On the last day of the tournament, UCSD took down Hawaii Pacific University — the Tournament of Champions’ reigning champion — 2–0.

UCSD now returns to conference play and will play three more conference series before the conference tournament. The Tritons (24–16 overall and 17–7 in CCAA play) are the reigning CCAA conference tournament champions and are currently third in the conference standings. UCSD is one game behind second-place Sonoma State and far behind first-place Humboldt State.

“We have a strong team with high expectations,” senior first-baseman Nicole Spangler said. “The next few weeks are vital for the postseason. We played strong defense at the [Tournament of Champions], but fell short by a few runs.”

The Tritons will face bottom-of-the-conference Cal State Stanislaus this Friday and Saturday, April 12 to April 13, on the road.

GAME 1 

Cal Baptist 2, UCSD 0

In the first of many pitching duels to highlight its run at the Tournament of Champions, sophomore slinger Michelle Escamilla (1–7) and freshman Hannah Duarte combined to give up just two hits the entire game. The two fared well, considering UCSD’s freshman ace Alexis Edwards was out of commission for the entirety of the tournament. However, Cal Baptist was able to easily capitalize on Edwards’ absence, converting both hits in the sixth inning to take the win.

GAME 2 

Grand Canyon 2, UCSD 1

Grand Canyon scored its only runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning, hitting up sophomore starter Kayla Hensel (8–5) for two runs on four hits. Hensel managed to keep the slate clear for the rest of three more innings before she was replaced by freshman Hannah Duarte in the fifth inning. On her shift, Duarte did not allow a single hit.

The Tritons’ only run came in the last frame of the game. Batting cleanup, junior Caitlin Brown got on base and was advanced to third on a single down the right field line from Spangler. Next up, freshman Alissa Gutierrez batted Brown in to put the score at 1–2.

GAME 3 — UCSD 1, Dominican 0

The Tritons played small ball in their win over Dominican College. UCSD scored its only run of the game in the sixth inning. Junior Emily McQuaid — one of UCSD’s most-walked players — was walked with one out. She was advanced on a groundout from Brown and stole third. With two outs and the winning run on third, Spangler came up big once again, singling up the middle to bring McQuaid across the plate.

GAME 4

Hawaii-Hilo 4, UCSD 3

Escamilla gave up three runs on three hits in her 1.2 innings pitched to put the Tritons in the hole early. Her relief fared much better, with Hensel and Duarte collectively giving up just one run for the rest of the game.

Hawaii-Hilo picked up a fourth run in the fourth inning, the Tritons still scoreless. UCSD earned one run back in the fifth inning; freshman leadoff hitter Callie Grant was hit by a pitch. 

Grant was advanced by a sacrifice bunt from junior Mya Romero and took third on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Maria Sykes. Grant was then brought home on a double to left center by redshirt sophomore Taylor Sepulveda.

UCSD took two more runs back in the sixth inning, but it wasn’t enough to push the game to extra innings.

GAME 5

UCSD 4, Chaminade 0

Brown and junior Kirsten Willmon both went 2-for-2 in UCSD’s 40 win over Chaminade in their last game on Saturday. 

In the first inning, Sepulveda singled to the catcher and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Next up, Brown singled to left field to bring Sepulveda home but was left stranded at the end of the inning. UCSD then capitalized on a costly Chaminade error in the second inning.

Up 2–0, the Tritons scored in the fourth inning in much the same fashion. Willmon singled to the shortstop and made her way to third on two subsequent sacrifice bunts. Willmon eventually crossed the plate on a single from Sykes.

In the sixth inning, Willmon scored again. The junior got on base and made her way round the bags on a single off sophomore Monique Portugal and, subsequently, a wild pitch.

GAME 6 

UCSD 2, Hawaii Pacific 0

Junior Jennifer Manuel (9–1) went the distance in UCSD’s last game of the tournament. The right-hander gave up just four hits in her seven innings and recorded two strikeouts.

Manuel’s performance on the mound allowed UCSD to get by on its two runs in the third inning. With one out and Sepulveda and Grant on third and second base, respectively, Spangler struck a pop fly to score Sepulveda. Next up, Willmon singled up the middle to score Grant.