OTTERS vs. TRITONS HIGHLIGHTSSEASIDE, Calif. — Cal State Monterey Bay and UC San Diego beat a late afternoon downpour to split a wild doubleheader Monday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex. CSUMB earned an 8–0 run–rule win in the opener before No. 25 ranked UCSD scored nine runs in the final two innings to earn an 11–2 victory in the nightcap.
Senior pitcher
Bianca Noriega (Ventura/Camarillo HS) tossed her first collegiate shutout in Game 1, silencing the powerful Triton offense on three hits. She ran her scoreless innings streak to 12 2/3 innings in the process.
Noriega got all the run support she would need in the second inning when freshman second baseman
Courtney Hennings (Pleasanton/Amador Valley HS) blasted her second home run of the season—this one a 3–run shot—to give the Otters an early lead.
Courtney Varela (Torrance HS) followed with a 2–run triple in the fourth inning before a 3–run fifth ended the game early.
UCSD jumped to a quick lead with a pair of runs early in Game 2 off starter
Lindsey Clarkson (Fresno/Edison HS), who was making her first appearance in nearly six weeks due to injury. But freshman
Tori Pierucci (San Mateo/Hillsdale HS) gave the Otters a chance to regroup by tossing 4 2/3 innings of hitless relief.
After stranding seven runners through four innings, the Otters finally broke through against Triton starter Lexi Edwards in the fifth, scoring on an
Anneliese Lopez (Ventura/Buena HS) grounder and a
Chase Robledo (Camarillo HS) sac fly.
But the wheels fell off the Otter wagon from that point as UCSD scored seven runs off three pitchers in the sixth inning to take a commanding 9–2 lead. The Tritons added two more in the seventh while reliever Lauren Brown retired nine of the 10 Otters she faced to secure the win.
In addition to her strong performance in the circle, Noriega reached safely in all six of her plate appearances, finishing the doubleheader 3-for-3 with three walks. Hennings (3-for-5), Robledo (3-for-4) and catcher
Valerie Aguilar (Montebello HS/ELAC) (3-for-4) all hit safely in both games for CSUMB.
The Otters and Tritons will conclude their 4–games series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Tuesday in Seaside.
GO OTTERS!
