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Box Score 2 LA JOLLA – Runs were definitely at a premium Friday in La Jolla, as the Chico State and UC San Diego softball teams opened up California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference play with a pair of pitcher's duels at Triton Softball Field. After coming up on the short end of a tough-luck 2-0 loss in the first game of the doubleheader, the Wildcats came from behind in the nightcap to post a 2-1 win over the No. 21 Tritons and earn a split of the twinbill.
Chico State improves to 3-4 on the season with the doubleheader split, while UC San Diego's record settles at 6-2. The Wildcats outhit the Tritons 10-9 on the day, with Sammi Ridgway and Desiree' Gonzalez picking up two safeties apiece.
Chico State stumbled out of the gate in game one of Friday's twinbill. After stranding a runner in scoring position in the top of the first inning, UC San Diego cashed in a walk, and with the help of two Wildcat errors, the Tritons plated a pair of unearned runs off Alex Molina in the bottom of the frame to go up 2-0. UC San Diego starter Alexis Edwards made the lead stand up, inducing double play grounders in the fifth and sixth innings to snuff out Chico State scoring threats.
The Wildcats made things interesting in the top of the seventh – back-to-back singles and an intentional walk to Desiree' Gonzalez loaded the bases with two outs, but Molina grounded out to second base to end the game, giving UC San Diego the 2-0 victory. Molina went the distance in the pitcher's circle for the 'Cats, allowing no earned runs and just three hits, but was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-2 on the season.
In the second game of the double dip, the Chico State offense needed a few innings to get untracked – though the Wildcats got runners aboard in each of the first three innings, they couldn't come up with the clutch hit needed to get on the scoreboard. UC San Diego went out in front in the bottom of the third, as Amani Proctor singled, stole second and scored on a Callie Grant single to give the Tritons a 1-0 advantage.
The lead didn't last long, however. The Wildcats tied the contest in the top of the fourth when Kayla Barber singled home pinch-runner Katy Weger, then an inning later Gonzalez delivered a big two-out RBI single to plate Scotie Walker to put Chico State on top 2-1.
UC San Diego threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, putting two runners on with one out. Molina came out of the Chico State bullpen to take over for starter Cheyenne Sandoval and got the 'Cats out of the jam, inducing a pop out followed by Zimmermann gunning down Katie Saunders trying to steal third to end the inning. Molina proceeded to toss a scoreless sixth inning and a 1-2-3 seventh to lock down Chico State's 2-1 win and the doubleheader split. Sandoval (1-0) went four-and-a-third innings to pick up the victory, with Molina picking up her first career save as a Wildcat.
The Wildcats wrap up their four-game series with the Tritons with a Saturday doubleheader scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. Live stats and streaming video will be available online.
