BOX SCORE UC San Diego 8, Sonoma State 6  --  Box Score

STOCKTON, Calif. -- Sonoma State stormed out of the gates with a four-run first inning on Saturday night, but a three-run UC San Diego sixth proved to the difference as the Tritons topped the Seawolves 8-6 at the CCAA Championship Tournament in Stockon.  With the loss, the Seawolves, now 36-19, are eliminated from the event.  They will now turn their sights to the NCAA Selection Show on Monday at 7:30 am.  The Seawolves entered the weekend ranked fourth in the region.  The top eight will advance to the NCAA West Regional.

To watch the live unveiling of the 2013 NCAA Division II Softball Championship Tournament field on Monday, click here.  At 7:30 am, a link to the selection show will appear.

UC San Diego will face Humboldt State on Sunday for the CCAA Championship.  The Tritons will need two wins for the title, the Lumberjacks need just one.

The Seawolves brought 10 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning, which chased Triton starter Hannah Duarte from the game after just one-third of an inning.  Sonoma threatened for more, but Michelle Escamilla came in to shut the door, stranding three runners on base.  That would eventually become the story of the ballgame for SSU, as they would end up leaving 12 runners on base, including the bases loaded on two occasions.

Tied at 5-5 in the top of the sixth, the Seawolves loaded the bases, bringing home the go-ahead run on a walk to Keisi Chinen.  Samantha Beauchamp then came up and was initially awarded a base on balls to give SSU a 7-5 lead, but the run was erased from the board after it was determined that the count was actually 2-2.  Beauchamp eventually grounded out, and the inning ended.

In the next half inning, the Tritons rallied for three runs to take an 8-6 lead.  In the Seawolves' last at bat, Danielle D'Eccliss recorded a two-out single, but that would be the final hit by SSU, as Sonoma was eliminated from the CCAA tournament with the 8-6 loss.

Katy Bihl (0-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in three innings of work in relief of Samantha Lipperd, who also worked three innings and gave up five hits and four runs.  D'Eccliss led the offensive attack with a pair of hits while Vanessa Currie went 1 for 3 with three runs scored. 

Ali Palermo dominated opposing pitchers all weekend and Saturday night was no different.  After bringing home all five runs in SSU's win over UC San Diego on Friday night, the Tritons pitched around the senior first baseman the majority of Saturday's contest, walking her three times before Palermo delivered her fifth extra base hit of the weekend, a double off the wall in straight away center field.  It wouldn't hurt the Tritons, however, as Ally Bryant, who came in to pinch run for Palermo, was forced out at home on a bases-loaded fielder's choice off the bat of Megan Konieczka. 

All told, Palermo went 6 for 9 with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and three runs scored with three walks, compiling a slugging percentage of 1.667 and an on-base percentage of .750 in the three tournament games played by Sonoma State.

Beauchamp also had a stellar weekend, going 4 for 6 at the plate with a double and an RBI and D'Eccliss slapped five hits in 12 at bats, scoring a pair of runs.  Currie scored five of the 13 Seawolf runs.

Sonoma State is looking to qualify for its fifth straight NCAA tournament, but will have to wait for Monday morning's announcement to find out if and where they will go for next weekend's sub-regional.