FRESNO, Calif. -- Second baseman Sommer Kisling, shortstop Isabella Leon and third baseman Leah Polson each had two hits for the day, but UC Davis dropped both ends of Sunday's doubleheader on the second day at the Bulldog Classic collegiate softball tournament. The Aggies lost the opener to California, 3-2, then fell in the nightcap against host Fresno State, 3-1.

UC Davis moves to 6-13 for the season.

Polson had each of her hits in the Game 2 loss to the Bulldogs. Leon and Polson had one safety on each end of the doubleheader. Second-year freshmen Kenedi Brown and Taylor Fitzgerald each took losses despite quality starts. Brown allowed six hits and three earned runs, with two walks and three strikeouts in a six-inning complete game. Fitzgerald went the distance with the Golden Bears, finishing with a pitching line of 7-6-3-3-2-1.

UC Davis opened the scoring in Game 1 when Leon singled through the middle, moved up to second on a ground out, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then stole home a batter later. 

Cal equalized in the top of the fourth on an RBI triple by catcher Kacey Zobac. However, Sarah Starks reclaimed the lead for the Aggies in the bottom half with her two-out, solo-blast to center. Nevertheless, the Golden Bears tied the proceedings in the next inning when D'Asha Saiki singled then later came around on a Lauren Espalin double. Espalin doubled again in the seventh to bring in Sabrina Nunez for the go-ahead.

Polson tripled in the seventh to give UC Davis a chance to tie the contest for a third time, but Cal's junior reliever Sabrina Nunez escaped the jam with a strikeout to seal the win.

The Aggies scored their lone tally in Game 2 on an errant throw. Kisling and Leon reached on back-to-back singles then Megan Bower was hit by pitch to load the bases. Fresno State senior Hailey Dolcini then retired Starks to end the rally.  

Right fielder Adrianna Noriega and second baseman Miranda Rohleder hit back-to-back doubles to spark a three-run Bulldog rally in the fourth.

UC Davis softball breaks for the university's final examination this week, then kicks off Big West Conference play with a road series at Cal State Fullerton on March 20-21. This will be the first conference game for the Aggies since 2019, as the COVID pandemic halted the 2020 season one week prior to Big West play.

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