The UCSD softball team dropped a tough doubleheader to Cal State Stanislaus on April 21 at home, dropping the Tritons below the .500 mark with a 20-22 overall record.
The Tritons had their work cut out for them while facing Stanislaus, which has now won four of its last five matchups against UCSD, including a doubleheader sweep last month.
UCSD forged ahead early in game one, off of an RBI double from sophomore shortstop Elizabeth Vazquez. The hit scored senior leadoff batter and outfielder Jenny Spencer, who reached on a single.
The Warriors replied with a two-run homer off sophomore Melissa Ward in the third inning to take the lead, 2-1.
Stanislaus chalked up another run in the fourth and added one more in the fifth before propelling the game out of the Tritons’ grasp by scoring five runs in the seventh. Game one ended with a score of 9-1.
Ward fell to 13-9 on the year after allowing eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits. She walked three batters and sat down three after six innings in the circle.
Stanislaus continued its offensive charge in game two, taking a 1-0 lead in the third off of a sacrifice fly. Stanislaus added another four runs in the fourth inning for a 5-0 lead.
Fending off the shutout, the Tritons battled back in the bottom of the fourth, as sophomore third baseman Jenny Maze picked up an RBI.
The Warriors added two more runs in the sixth, but the Tritons would not go down without a fight, tallying two of their own in the last frame of the game. However, the effort was not enough for a come-from-behind victory, as UCSD took the loss 7-3.
Freshman pitcher Lauren Chastain took the loss for the Tritons, giving up five runs on four hits in just over three innings. Sophomore hurler Nicole Fullerton came in to relieve Chastain, giving up two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
Though there are only a handful of games left in the season and the Tritons have fallen to 20-22 overall and 8-12 in league action, the team still has a chance at winning a spot at the NCAA Division II West Regional in May. The top eight teams in the region will participate. Going into this weekend, the Tritons were ranked No. 10 in the West.
Head coach Patti Gerckens was hopeful about the team’s chances.
“I am definitely optimistic about the rest of the season,” she said. “However, we do have to step up and concentrate on consistent offense.”
The Tritons returned to action on April 23, playing host to No. 10 Cal State Bakersfield, which swept UCSD earlier in the season. Bakersfield is currently 36-8 on the season and holds first place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with a league record of 13-3.
UCSD will travel to Cal State Bernardino on April 26 to make up a game rained out earlier this month. The Tritons then return to UCSD for their last home game, hosting Grand Canyon University on April 28.
The Tritons conclude league play on the road, traveling to Rohnert Park, Calif., to face Sonoma State on May 5, and then to San Francisco to play No. 19 San Francisco State on May 6 before the NCAA Division II West Regional games begin.
