A four-game sweep of San Francisco State this weekend gave the UCSD softball team its best start since 2002. The Tritons won 8-0 and 7-3 on Friday, and 7-3 and 2-0 on Saturday.
“Four wins are great,” head coach Patti Gerckens said in an interview with the UCSD Athletics Department. “San Francisco is actually a good club, and it was a good way to start our season. It really sets the tone going into next week against Monterey Bay.”
The Tritons only had four hits in the first game, but San Francisco committed five errors to allow the Tritons to score eight runs in the five-inning game. Kris Lesovsky, Caitlin Brown and Katrin Gabriel each had an RBI, as the Tritons capitalized on Gator errors, with only two of their runs earned.
Camille Gaito went the distance, giving up five hits and two walks to get the win.
In the second game on Friday, Tess Granath pitched a complete game and got the win, as the Tritons once again capitalized on Gator mistakes. Granath gave five hits and three runs, but the Tritons scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the victory.
In the sixth, with the game tied at three, UCSD loaded the bases with two outs. Nicole Spangler hit a weak ground ball to the shortstop, but a wild throw allowed all three runners to score. Mya Romero drove Spangler in to add an extra run for the Tritons.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, UCSD put up six runs in the first three innings and held on for the win. The Tritons got two RBI from Jennifer De Fazio and Esther Storm. Granath pitched five 2/3 innings to pick up the win, giving up seven hits and two runs.
In the second game on Saturday, Gaito was perfect through five 2/3 innings before giving up a double. But she would stay in the game and go the distance, getting the two-hit shutout and sending her record to 5-0 on the season. Gaito has allowed just one earned run this season, striking out 27 batters in 35 1/3 innings of play.
With two on and two out in the fourth inning, Storm sent a fly ball to center field that should have been easily caught. But the Gators’ center fielder dropped the ball and allowed Mya Romero and Taylor Sepulveda to score, giving the Tritons all the offense they needed to take the win.
With the sweep, the Tritons moved to 9-1 on the year, their best start since 2002. The hot start has sent the Tritons into the Top 25 poll at No. 11. It’s the first time UCSD has been in the Top 25 since April 2008.
The Tritons will travel to Seaside, Calif. next weekend for a four-game series against Cal State Monterey Bay. CSUMB is the defending CCAA regular season champion.
Readers can contact Liam Rose at [email protected]
