LA JOLLA, Calif. - The Cal State San Marcos softball team dropped both games of a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader to UC San Diego, Friday at Triton Softball Field. UCSD took game one by a score of 5-1 and game two by a score of 8-3.
 
The Cougars are now 0-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Tritons improve to 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the CCAA.
 
CSUSM close the four-game series against UCSD on Saturday, Feb. 11, with a doubleheader starting at noon.
 
Game One: UC San Diego 5, Cal State San Marcos 1
Down one run, CSUSM gave up three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and fell to UCSD, 5-1. Senior outfielder Holly Fauria had one hit and one run. Junior outfielder Lindsay Cerulle compiled one hit and one RBI. Freshman pitcher Cheyenne Alvarez pitched the first five innings and gave up five earned runs with four strikeouts. Senior pitcher Ashley Dagenais came in relief for the sixth and struck out one.
 
Ashley Chestnut hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to put the Tritons up 2-0.
 
The Cougars responded in the top of the fourth and cut the margin to one run. Fauria singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior outfielder Breanna Stiles. Fauria stole third and was brought home by Cerulle's RBI single.
 
UCSD grabbed three insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead 5-1. The Cougars didn't have an answer in the final two innings as they were only able to muster one hit.   
 
Game Two: UC San Diego 8, Cal State San Marcos 3
With the game even at 3-3, CSUSM allowed a total of five runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning as UCSD prevailed, 8-3. Freshmen infielders Gabriela Arizaga, Abby Callais and Mackenzie Fannin combined for four hits, two runs and one RBI. Dagenais threw the first 2.2 innings and gave up three earned runs. Freshman pitcher Karen Roman pitched the next 2.2 frames and had five earned runs against her. Senior pitcher Amanda Horbasch threw the last 0.2 innings and struck out one.  
 
The Tritons struck for two in the first once again to take an early 2-0 lead. The Cougars responded with two runs of their own in the top of the second to even the score. Fannin doubled to bring home Callais and a throwing error by UCSD's third baseman plated Arizaga.
 
The Tritons took the lead in the bottom of the third, 3-2, as Roman hit a UCSD batter with the bases loaded. CSUSM answered the call once more to tie the game, 3-3, in the top of the fourth. Callais singled to get on base and was pinch ran for by junior outfielder Sara Langdon. Langdon advanced to second on a single from junior designated player Heather Rygg and got to third on a throwing error from the Tritons' left fielder on the same play. Junior catcher Karla Bernal grounded out, but hit the ball hard enough to bring home Langdon.
 
The Cougars gave up a total of five runs in the in the next three UCSD frames and could not get anything going offensively and fell by five.