BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 Game 1:  UC San Diego 1, Sonoma State 0 (8 innings)  --  Box Score  |  Audio
Game 2:  UC San Diego 3, Sonoma State 0  --  Box Score  |  Audio

ROHNERT PARK, Calif.  --  Hayley Condon extended her hitting streak to 14 games with a hit in each of the two games, but the rest of the Sonoma State offense fell silent, scattering four other hits combined as visiting UC San Diego swept Saturday's doubleheader, 1-0 in eight innings in the opener and 3-0 in the series finale at the Seawolf Softball Field in Rohnert Park. 

The Seawolves (27-17, 13-15 CCAA) managed just one run in the four-game series against the Tritons (32-14, 23-9 CCAA), falling into a tie for fifth place in the conference standings with Cal State East Bay with just eight regular season games to play, all but eliminating their chance to defend their last two tournament titles.  UCSD moved up to third place in the conference standings, clinching a spot in the four-team tournament, set for Apr. 27-29 at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.  Two spots remain up for grabs as Cal State Dominguez Hills (38-10, 24-6 CCAA) claimed the other spot following play on Saturday.

Samantha Lipperd (22-10) again went the distance for Sonoma State, allowing 12 hits, four runs (all earned), eight walks, while striking out 10 batters in her 15 innings of work on Saturday.

Game 1:  UC San Diego 1, Sonoma State 0 (8 innings)

Once again, the matchup between Sonoma State's Samantha Lipperd and UC San Diego's Camille Gaito yielded another pitcher's duel, and this time, both offenses would be held scoreless through the first seven innings of play.  In fact, the game featured only five base runners through the first six innings, none of which advanced beyond second base at any point.

The first time a team put more than one runner on base was in the top of the seventh when the Tritons had runners on first and second with two outs.  Lipperd induced an inning-ending popup to Jennifer Manuel, ending the threat.

Condon began the Seawolf half of the seventh with a leadoff single to left center, followed by an Ali Palermo single down the left field line, moving Condon up to second with no outs.  Shannon Kehr then successfully moved Condon and Palermo into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, placing the game-winning run just 60 feet away.  But Gaito, the reigning CCAA Pitcher of the Year, pitched herself out of the jam, getting Samantha Lepp to groundout and Samantha Beauchamp to strikeout, sending the game to extra innings.

In the eighth, Lipperd recorded two quick outs, but back-to-back-to-back singles by Kirsten Willmon, Caitlin Brown and Charly Swanberg broke the scoreless tie to lead 1-0.

Gaito (20-6) came back out in the bottom of the eighth and shut the door, retiring the side in order to complete the 1-0 victory over Sonoma State.  Gaito gave up just four hits and struckout two in the win.

Lipperd, meanwhile, allowed six hits and the lone run in the contest (the RBI single by Swanberg that scored Willmon from second base in the top of the eighth inning).  She struckout five and walked two in the loss.

Game 2:  UC San Diego 3, Sonoma State 0

After a scoreless inning in the first by both squads, UC San Diego plated its first run of the game in the second on a Mya Romero triple, scoring Swanberg.  Two more runs came across the plate in the Triton third on an RBI triple by Willmon and an RBI bunt single by Brown to put UCSD up 3-0 on Lipperd.  Lipperd settled down and allowed only two more hits the rest of the way, but the Sonoma State offense couldn't get anything going.

UC San Diego's Manuel retired the first 10 Sonoma State batters in order before Vanessa Currie singled to left field in the fourth.  Condon added a single, but again, Manuel and the Triton defense closed the door on the threat.  In fact, after Condon's single, Manuel (4-3) went on to record 11 straight outs to end the game.

Lipperd (22-10) gave up six hits, three runs, six walks and struckout five.  Two of the six hits came off the bat of UCSD's Willmon, leading the Triton attack in the series finale.

Sonoma State will host Cal State Stanislaus next Friday and Saturday at the Seawolf Softball Field, the last four home games of the 2012 season.