Box Scores: #11 UCSD 2, SSU 0 | SSU 7, #11 UCSD 6

LA JOLLA, Calif- Down 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two, UC San Diego loaded the bases with one out, but Samantha Lipperd re-entered the game, forcing two straight pop outs to give Sonoma State a sigh of relief and the narrow one-run victory, salvaging the series split on Saturday in La Jolla. The Seawolves, who were shutout 2-0 in the opener, moves to 31-18 this season with a 21-11 mark in the CCAA. The Tritons, ranked No. 11 in last week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, goes to 31-10 and 19-8.

#11 UC San Diego 2, Sonoma State 0

It was truly a pitching duel between Sonoma State's Lipperd and Julianne Martinez and UC San Diego's Camille Gaito, as all three pitchers combined to allow just five hits in the ballgame.

However, it was the Tritons that were able to strike first with two runs in the third. It was a Kris Lesovsky RBI single that brought home Katrin Gabriel to give UCSD the 1-0 lead. Then, a double steal situation that began with Sarah Woofter attempting to steal second, which allowed Lesovsky to score from third on the throw down to second by SSU catcher Skylynn Myers. It would prove to be the only scoring in the opener though, as the pitchers controlled the game from the circle.

Gaito (22-2) allowed just two base runners all game. Rochelle Vanyi, who led off the game with an infield single, and Vanessa Currie, who singled in the fifth. Meanwhile, Lipperd was tagged with the loss after allowing the two runs by UCSD in the third. She scattered three hits, walked two and struckout four. J. Martinez came on in relief in the fifth, didn't allow a hit, walked two and struckout one.

Sonoma State 7, #11 UC San Diego 6

Game two was a much different story offensively for both teams, but it was the Seawolves who drew first blood, and did so right off the bat, so to speak. After Currie reached base on an error to leadoff the game, Kayla Ledford singled and Myers brought home Currie and Ledford with a double to right field. Myers then came around to score on a RBI single by Jesse Talaugon.

Sonoma State tacked two more runs on in the second when Vanyi poked a two-RBI single through the right side to score Ledford and Currie.

UC San Diego would begin its comeback in the bottom of the second, putting a run on the scoreboard on a RBI bunt single by Rhiannon Ousley that scored Mya Romero from third. The Tritons would then add two more runs in the third to trail by just two runs at 5-3.

From then on, the game went back and fourth as each team scored a run in the fourth and fifth innings. Vanyi hit a solo shot in the fourth and Talaugon came around to score on a Danielle D'Eccliss single in the fifth. The Tritons scored on an error in the fourth and a single by Jennifer De Fazio in the fifth.

Down 7-5, UCSD added a run in the sixth on a RBI double by Romero, setting up what would be a dramatic finish in the final inning.

After Gaito shut down the Seawolf batters in order in the top of the seventh, the Tritons, down 7-6, would load the bases on three consecutive singles with one out. Lipperd came on for Ciara Becerril and forced both Charly Swanberg and Caitlin Brown to pop up to the infield, leaving the bases jammed and giving Sonoma State the much-needed series split.

Vanyi and Talaugon led the way with two hits; Vanyi also had three RBI and a run scored, including the solo home run in the fourth. Despite earning the 7-6 win, the Seawolves were outhit, 13-10, in the nightcap. Romero had three hits to lead UCSD while Lesovsky, Woofter, Ousley and De Fazio had two hits.

Lipperd (20-7) earned the victory after starting the game and tossing the first two innings where she gave up three hits and a run while striking out two. She came on to force the final two outs in the seventh. J. Martinez and Becerril also saw time in the circle, combining to scatter ten hits, allow five runs (four earned), walking three and striking out three.

Jennifer Manuel (2-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up the first three runs of the game. She went just one inning before giving way to Tess Granath. Granath tossed four innings, gave up five hits, four runs (three earned), walked two and struckout four before giving way to Gaito in the sixth.

Sonoma State will return home on Thursday and Friday for its final four games of the regular season. The Seawolves will face Cal State Dominguez Hills and will be looking to clinch a spot in the four-team California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament in Stockton on Apr. 29-May 1 for the right to defend their tournament title. SSU currently sits in second place in the conference standings behind UC San Diego and in front of Chico State and next week's opponent, Cal State Dominguez Hills, who is fourth in the CCAA.