SAN FRANCISCO--- The SF State softball team split its California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader with the visiting UC San Diego Tritons this afternoon at SF State's Softball Field, winning game one 3-1 and losing the night cap 9-2. Ashley Jackson (Vallejo, California, St. Patrick's-St. Vincent) pitched a complete game in the opener to improve to 5-1 while Summer Powell (Rocklin, California, Rocklin )had a two-out two-run double to key the victory. In the night cap, the Gators (10-6, 9-4 CCAA) gave up nine runs in the top of the seventh to fall 9-2.

 

Nicole Saari's two-out RBI double in the top of the first inning of game one scored Sarah Woofter with the game's first run for UC San Diego. The game remained 1-0 Tritons, until the Gator third inning. 

 

Rachael Kroneder (Pleasanton, California, Amador Valley) opened the inning with a lead-off single and advanced to second on Kylie Herrada (Gilroy, California, Gilroy) bunt single. Then with one out, Kelly McDonald (Gilroy, California, Live Oak)reached on an error to place Heather Jensen (Sacramento, California, Del Campo)(who reached on a fielder's choice) on second and Herrada on third. Carolyn Knudson (Napa, California, Napa Valley Junior College) then tied the game with an infield single that scored Herrada. Powell then hit her second double of the season to drive in both Jensen with the go-ahead run and McDonald with an insurance run. 

 

Jackson then shut down the Tritons in the final four innings to secure the 3-1 victory. She gave up just two hits and one run in seven innings while striking out five and walking four. Camille Gaito (7-4) recorded the loss for UC San Diego, pitching six innings, giving up 8 hits and three runs (all unearned) while striking out five. 

 

Eight different Gators had hits while two different Tritons had hits for UC San Diego. 

 

In the night cap, it was a pitching duel through the first six innings as the Gators' Vanessa Truan and UC San Diego's Christine Zankich (3-3) each did not give up one run in the first six innings. 

 

In the Tritons' half of the seventh, the Marisa Ibarra (Hollister, California, San Benito )(4-2) came on in relief of Truan who had pitched over 100 pitches in the first six innings. Jennifer De Fazio led off the inning with a single to center field and Dyanna Imoto came on to pinch run for her. Imoto advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kris Lesovsky. She then went to third on a single by Sarah Woofter and scored on a bunt single by Nicole Saari. UC San Diego (11-9, 9-7 CCAA) then erupted for eight more runs including three on a home run by Lesovsky to take a 9-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Kroneder led off with a walk and scored on an one-out home run to left field by Heather Jensen, who second of the season to cut the Triton lead to 9-2. Zankich then got the next Gator to pop up to short. McDonald then hit a single through the left side and advanced to second on a wild pitch, before Zankich retired the final SF State batter with a fly out to right field.

 

Zankich (3-3) pitched a complete game, giving up seven hits and two runs while striking out one and walking one. Ibarra took the loss for SF State, giving up four hits and four runs. 

 

Mandi Eliades, Nicole Spanger, and De Fazio each had two hits apiece for the Tritons. Eliades and DeFazio each drove in two runs also for UC San Diego.

 

Karolyn Gubbine (Richmond, California, Pinole Valley)had two of the Gators' seven hits to extend her hitting streak to ten. 

 

SF State will return to the diamond this Friday, March 12, when the Gators begin a four-game CCAA series in Southern California at Cal State San Bernardino beginning with a doubleheader on Friday at 1pm. 

Box Score Game One

Box Score Game Two