SOFTBALL ‘mdash; Capitalizing on a couple of pitching gems courtesy of UCSD’s starting hurlers, the Tritons started their 2009 season with three wins in four games at the Diamond Sports Best of the West Invitational in Turlock, Calif., on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.
UCSD was perfect on the first day, shutting out Cal State Monterey Bay 3-0 and downing Chico State University 6-1. The Tritons suffered their first loss of the season in a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Grand Canyon University, but salvaged a split on the second day with a 2-1 victory in a pitcher’s duel against Cal State San Bernardino. UCSD will take its 3-1 record into conference play starting this weekend.
The Tritons, who finished sixth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and just barely advanced to the NCAA Regionals last season, have higher ambitions this time around.
‘Our goals are to win the CCAA and to get into the postseason,’ head coach Patti Gerckens said.
If the Tritons aim make good on their goals, they will have to come up with several upsets against their conference opponents as UCSD was picked to finish fifth in the 2009 CCAA Softball Preseason Coaches Poll behind Humboldt State University, Cal State Stanislaus, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State San Bernardino.
‘It doesn’t bother me,’ Gerckens said of the ranking. ‘I love being the underdog.’
UCSD got a sneak preview of its CCAA foes at the Best of the West Invitational, facing off against Cal State San Bernardino on Feb. 8. An RBI double put the Coyotes on the board first in the third inning. But junior starter Christine Zankich settled down, getting out of the inning with minimal damage.
Sophomore outfielder Krystyn Lesovsky drove in the first run for UCSD in the bottom of the fifth and senior outfielder Allison May’s RBI single in the sixth scored the team’s final run of the day. Zankich pitched seven innings of five-hit ball to earn the win.
Starting pitching propelled the Tritons to victory in their first game of the season as well, as senior starter Lauren Chastain went the distance in seven scoreless innings.
‘She was almost flawless in the first game,’ Gerckens said. ‘A lot of her pitches were working.’
While the Tritons will likely rely on veterans like Chastain in their quest for a CCAA championship, a couple of younger players have already stepped up in this young season.
‘Krys Lesovsky hit over .600 in the tournament and she’s new to the team,’ Gerckens said. ‘[Freshman rightie] Camille Gaito won a start, and other’s haven’t even really had a chance yet this season.’
UCSD starts conference play on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14 in a four-game set at home against San Francisco State University. ‘ ‘ ‘ Readers can contact Janani Sridharan at [email protected].