UCSD split its doubleheader with Chico State on Feb. 28, winning the first game 5-2 and losing the second 6-4. The Tritons also lost both games against UC Davis on March 1 by 8-2 and 1-0, respectively.
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Game one against Chico started off slow for the Tritons, who were losing 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth. However, things picked up quickly in the fourth inning, and after a few walks and errors by Chico, UCSD was able to gain four runs. The first was scored by freshman Danielle Ross, who was pinch-running for sophomore Jamie Hurst, who walked. The second was scored by junior Amy Mettee, who also walked. Sophomore Mieko McCue then hit a two-run double, scoring freshmen Niki Anderson and Jennifer Leonard. UCSD gained an insurance run in the sixth to put the score at 5-2.
The win went to freshman starter Stephanie Kurz, who brought her record up to 2-1 with six innings of two-run ball. Junior Jodie Bland picked up the save in an inning of work, her second of the season.
“”I got into a couple of jams in the fifth and sixth innings, but the team provided moral and defensive support, and we got out of it without any runs scored,”” Kurz said.
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The second game against Chico got out to a much tougher start for UCSD, since the Wildcats quickly scored three runs off starter Bland in the first inning. Chico added two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth before Bland, a junior, was pulled for sophomore Keri Hanley, who finished off the game pitching one and two-thirds innings. Bland’s loss put her at 5-2 on the season.
UCSD was shut out for the first five innings, but Mettee started off the sixth inning in style with her second home run of the year. The Tritons capitalized on three-straight walks and multiple balks by Chico reliever Emily McDermont to score two more runs, but were shutdown once Chico’s starter, Amber Neves, returned. UCSD put up one last fight in the seventh when Hurst singled and advanced to second on an error, and junior Kim Aggabao knocked her in with a double, but one run was all the Tritons could get, eventually losing 6-4.
“”We came out ready to play, and it was nice to get the first win, but our fundamentals broke down in the second game, and we gave it to them,”” said Triton head coach Patti Gerckens.
The doubleheader against UC Davis on March 1 started on a sour note with an 8-2 loss. The Aggies quickly jumped to a 7-0 lead off starter Bland, who was pulled after 2.1 innings of work and suffered the loss that put her record at 5-3 on the season. Both Triton runs were scored by freshman Desiree Franciscus, while Aggabao added an RBI.
Game two of the Davis doubleheader was a nail biter, with starter Hanley throwing a five-hit complete game, but dropping her record to 3-5 with the setback. The only difference in the game came on one swing by Sue Yale of Davis, who hit a home run in the fifth inning.
Mettee collected two of UCSD’s hits, while Leonard and senior Kristin Hunstad got the other two. The Tritons left six runners on base.
“”The second game against Davis was one of the best games we’ve played in a long time,”” Gerckens said. “”It was one of those games where someone just has to lose. If we can lose to Davis by one run, though, we can beat anyone.””
UCSD is now 10-9 on the season and 6-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Tritons will face CSU Bakersfield on March 7 and CSU Dominguez Hills on March 8, both away games.
