The UCSD softball team played nine games between March 12 and March 27, finishing with 3 wins and 6 losses.
Guardian file
The Tritons dropped their first game on March 12 in a 4-6 loss to Cal State Stanislaus in the first game of a doubleheader. Junior pitcher Kelley Bryant took the loss, throwing two and one-third innings, giving up five earned runs, andbringing her record to 2-2 on the season. Freshman Tina Rowe, back from an injury, threw three and two-thirds innings of relief, giving up one run and earning a no decision.
At the plate, junior leftfielder Breanne Cope lead the Tritons, blasting her fifth home run of the season while going 2-3, with two runs and an RBI. Senior shortstop Kim Aggabao also went 2-3, with one RBI and one run.
Any thoughts of UCSD being overwhelmed twice by CSU Stanislaus were quickly dispelled in the second game of the doubleheader, as the Triton’s exploded for 15 runs, winning 15-2 in six innings. Senior Jodie Bland walked away with the victory, giving up on two earned runs in six innings of work. Her season record stands at 7-6.
Bland also helped herself at the plate, leading UCSD with three hits, one RBI and two runs. Bland was assisted by senior third baseman Amy Mettee, as both scored twice and grabbed two RBIs while going 2-5. Aggabao went 2-3 again, and added a run and an RBI, while sophomore second baseman Desiree Franciscus drove in three teammates and scored twice.
The Tritons were back in action on March 13 against Cal State Bakersfield, but once again dropped the first game of the doubleheader, this time 2-7. Rowe suffered her first defeat of the season, dropping her record to 7-1 as she gave up six earned runs in six innings.
Despite a sluggish offense, freshman designated hitter Melanie Meurer had a solid performance, going 2-4 and netting a run and an RBI on a solo blast, her third home run of the season. Sophomore Niki Anderson knocked in the other run, going 1-3. Aggabao scored and, also going 1-3.
UCSD came back again in the second game of their doubleheader, this time besting CSU Bakersfield 5-3 behind a strong performance from Bland, who gave up only one earned run in seven innings of work and improved her record to 8-6 for the season.
Offensive highlights included Aggabao’s three RBI, as well as freshman centerfielder Brittni Carino going 2-2 and tacking on an RBI. Mettee went 2-4 and nabbed a run, while Bland went 1-3 with one run. Both Cope and Franciscus also went 1-3 and scored once.
In a nonconference game on March 24, the fifth of their nine games, the Tritons took on crosstown rival USD, dropping a nine inning heartbreak 1-0. Rowe started the game, throwing four innings of shutout ball. Bland took over, and also put in four scoreless innings, but USD managed to score in the ninth, handing Bland the loss and putting her record at 8-7 for the season.
Hits were sparse for UCSD with only Anderson, Franciscus and Mettee reaching base by hit.
