SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team dropped both ends of its Wednesday California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader to UC San Diego, 5-4 (8 inn.) and 5-2, at CSUSM Softball Field.

The Cougars drop to 10-32 overall and 7-25 in CCAA action. Their final games of the season will be at Cal State San Bernardino on Friday and Saturday.

The Tritons improve to 33-19 overall and 23-15 CCAA. UCSD clinched a spot in the CCAA Tournament with a victory in game one.

Game 1
The Cougars took an early lead, but UCSD rallied for a four-run fifth inning to help force extras before winning it in the eighth.

CSUSM capitalized on a one-out base hit from Lindsay Cerulle and a walk to Melyssa Bellamy in the top of the first. Robyn Alvara drove in Cerulle with a single to left-center to make it 1-0 and put runners on the corners.

Brogan Hoenisch then hit a grounder to the third baseman, but her throw over to first was wayward, which allowed Bellamy to score.

After a walk to Amanda Horbasch, Abby Allen then hit a chopper to third and the third baseman got the second out of the inning at the plate. Then, the catcher attempted to double-up Allen at first, but the catcher's throw was high and wide. Hoenisch tiptoed in to make it 3-0.

CSUSM starter Ashley Dagenais (6-13) cruised until the fifth inning, when the Tritons turned to small ball. Three consecutive bunt singles loaded the bases for the Tritons before a bases-loaded walk forced UCSD's first run in.

The Tritons followed with a sacrifice fly, an RBI single and a bunt RBI single to push ahead, 4-3.

However, CSUSM answered in its turn at the plate. Bellamy led off with a single and eventually scored when Allen's groundball was mishandled by the first baseman.

In the eighth, Dagenais retired the first two batters, but allowed a double to Kristin Baker and a walk to Taylor Abeyta. Kelsi Maday made the Cougars pay with a two-out line drive to center field that made it 5-4.

Karla Bernal led off with a walk in the bottom of the frame and gave way for pinch runner Sara Langdon. Langdon was moved to second with a sacrifice bunt, but UCSD hurler Lexi Edwards (15-8) was able to retire the final two batters to end the game.

Dagenais' loss snapped a string of three consecutive victories for the junior right hander. She struck out four.

Game 2
CSUSM's seventh-inning rally fell short as the Cougars dropped their home finale, 5-2, to the visiting Tritons.

Down by three with one out in the bottom of the seventh, Holly Fauria drew a walk before Caylyn Rodriguez and Cerulle notched back-to-back singles to load the bases. However, UCSD pitcher Lauren Brown (12-6) sat down Bellamy before Alvara popped one up to second to end the contest.

UCSD scored a pair of runs in the first inning, but Bellamy cut the deficit in the Cougars' first turn at the plate with an RBI double that scored Rodriguez.

Rodriguez followed suit in the second inning, doubling-in Bernal to make it 2-2.

The Tritons went ahead in the third, taking advantage of a Cougar error on a double steal.

Baker's RBI single made it 4-2 in the fourth and pinch hitter Kendall Woken's squeeze bunt RBI in the sixth pushed the Tritons ahead 5-2.

Rodriguez was 3-for-4 in the contest.

Horbasch (4-19) walked twice at the plate, but earned the loss after surrendering 12 hits and four earned runs. She struck out a pair.