DAVIS, Calif.  -- Senior shortstop Isabella Leon rapped out four total hits with four runs batted in while senior outfielder Marisa Given's walk-off single closed out a wild finish in the nightcap win over California Baptist, as UC Davis swept the first day of action of the season-opening NorCal Kickoff softball tournament at La Rue Field Thursday.

The Aggies dispatched Saint Mary's by a 6-2 final, then edged CBU, 9-8, in the ninth inning in moving to 2-0 for the year.

Leon delivered a three-run homer to left center in a four-run third against the Gaels, then led off the fifth with a double to that same gap. Then in Thursday's late game, she delivered on an RBI single in the Aggies' four-run first, and added another double in the third, bringing her Opening Day total to nine total bases.

Given rapped out a single to center to score freshman Leah Polson in the ninth inning to spoil what had been a valiant CBU comeback. UC Davis broke open to the 4-0 start in the first, only to see the Lancers equalize in the third. The Aggies then tacked on another four in the bottom half of that third frame to reclaim an 8-4 lead, only to have CBU add two tallies in the fourth and seventh innings.

Sophomore second baseman Sommer Kisling also had two hits in each game for a total of four on the day. Given, Leon, Polson, junior Alyse Rojas, senior Maddie Rojas and senior Marissa Jauregui each had at least one hit in both games as UC Davis banged out a total of 22 for its first day of the season.

Additionally, all five Aggie freshmen made their debuts in Thursday's portion of the tourney. Polson started both games at third base. Sarah Starks served as the team's cleanup hitter against CBU. Pitchers Taylor Fitzgerald and Kenedi Brown split up duties in the circle against the Lancers, while Alyssa Ito entered as a pinch runner late in that contest.

The NorCal Kickoff continues on Thursday with the Aggies next in action against Boise State at 2 p.m. For a full tournament central website, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/sports/2020/1/29/sports-w-softbl-spec-rel-2020-norcal-kickoff.aspx

UC DAVIS 6, SAINT MARY'S 2
Leon's third-inning home run and Kibby's work in the pitching circle lifted the Aggies to a 6-2 victory over Saint Mary's in Thursday's first game. Kisling led off the third with a slap-hit single, was sacrificed to second on Polson's bunt, then came home on an Alyse Rojas single to straightaway center. Given followed by reaching on an error, letting up Leon's drive over the left-center fence to cap the four-run frame.

UC Davis made it 6-0 when a botched double play allowed Jauregui and pinch runner Alexis Villalobos to score. However, the Gaels took advantage of an early error to rally to a pair of runs in the seventh before Kibby coaxed an Indya Smith fly out to end the game. Kibby allowed four hits and two unearned runs in a complete-game victory.

Saint Mary's (0-1)	000	000	2	-	2	4	2
UC Davis (1-0)	004	002	0	-	6	10	1

Pitchers: SMC - Eileen Perez, Kayla Scott (6) and Hannah Chew. UC Davis - Katie Kibby and Riley Siegel. Win - Kibby (1-0). Loss - Perez (0-1). Save-none. T-2:22. Att-N/A

HR UC Davis - Isabella Leon (1).
 

UC DAVIS 9, CALIFORNIA BAPTIST 8 (9 inn.)
Leon, Siegel, Kisling and Maddie Rojas each recorded two hits while Brown came in relief of fellow freshman Fitzgerald to escape a fourth-inning jam, but UC Davis saw two different four-run leads disappear on CBU comebacks before Given's walk-off single in the ninth completed the 9-8 win.

Siegel launched a two-run homer in the first inning to help propel the Aggies to a 4-0 start. Then after Caitlyn Lloyd's three-run to shot helped equalize for CBU, UC Davis answered with another four runs in the bottom half of the third to take an 8-4 lead. Maddie Rojas, Jauregui and Kisling each had RBI singles in the third, while Jauregui made it 8-4 on a steal of home. With Kisling on first and Jauregui on third, Kisling realized she was caught in her attempt to swipe second and decided to retreat to first. However, CBU reliever Kerisa Viramontes cut off her catcher's throw, allowing Jauregui to take home in the ensuing confusion.

Undeterred, the Lancers fought back with two runs in the fourth: getting RBI hits from left fielder Molly Kolander and third baseman Brittany Galvez. Another two runs in the seventh forced the extra frames, although not without some heroics by Jauregui in the outfield. With Makenna Stram on second and Michaila Harrington on third, Amanda Argomaniz pounded out a line drive toward center field. Jauregui came in strong and gloved the ball on a diving catch, turning a likely hit into a sacrifice fly and forcing Stram to retouch second. Unfortunately, Abby Robertson drove in Stram in the next at-bat for the equalizer.

With the international tiebreaker in effect, neither team could plate a runner in the eighth. CBU then appeared to score a go-ahead single by Mackenzie Budinger to bring in sophomore Ali Belloc. However, UC Davis Erin Thorpe promptly appealed the hit: Harrington had pinch run for the designated player Budinger in the seventh, and was still officially in the game when Budinger went to bat. By rule, the base hit became an out, and the 8-8 tie remained intact. A fly ball to Given in right ended the top of the ninth with no damage done by CBU.

In the ninth, Polson was placed at second per the tiebreaker rule. Alyse Rojas moved Polson to third on a sacrifice hit. Then Given poked a line drive to center with no chance for CBU to get Polson at the plate.

Brown, who helped Fitzgerald out of the jam in the fourth, earned her first collegiate win.

CBU (0-1)	004	200	200	-	8	10	1
UC Davis (2-0)	404	000	001	-	9	12	2

Pitchers: CBU - Giana Lopez, Kerisa Viramontes (3) and Tiana Patrick. UC Davis - Taylor Fitzgerald, Kenedi Brown (4) and Riley Siegel. Win - Brown (1-0). Loss - Viramontes (0-1). Save-none. T-2:42. Att-128

HR: CBU - Caitlyn Lloyd (1); Mackenzie Budinger (1). UC Davis - Riley Siegel (1).

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