DAVIS, Calif. – The UC Davis softball team nearly pulled off two come-from-behind victories but ultimately split its two games on Saturday at the Capital Classic held at La Rue Field. The Aggies downed Dixie State, 3-2, in the morning and then fell to Causeway rival, Sacramento State, 2-1 in the afternoon tilt.

GAME 1

The Aggies plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a one-run deficit to end a six-game skid to down Dixie State, 3-2, Saturday morning.

Sophomore Bella Pahulu supplied the heroics with a two-out triple to right-centerfield to score sophomore Sarah Starks and senior Delaney Diaz.

Before the Trailblazers took the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs, the Aggies opened the game with a single run in the first. Sophomore Anna Dethlefson was aggressive on the basepaths and was able to elude the tag at the plate on an infield single by junior Sommer Kisling.  Kisling paced UC Davis with two hits in the win.

Sophomore Taylor Fitzgerald (2-3) did not allow an earned run as the righthander struck out five and held DSU to just four hits while striking out five in the complete-game win.

GAME 2

In what was a classic pitching duel between two rivals, Sacramento State came out on top, thwarting a bases-loaded threat by the Aggies in the sixth and the go-ahead danger in the final frame.

UC Davis did not get to Sacramento State hurler Marissa Bertuccio until the sixth inning, breaking up her no-hitter on an infield single by Dethlefson. The sophomore scored the lone run for the Aggies on an error.

Both pitchers only allowed four hits as sophomore Kenedi Brown (3-5) was tagged for the two runs and struck out eight.


The Aggies will close out the Capital Classic at Shea Stadium when they take on Dixie State at 11:30 a.m. and host Sacramento State at 2 p.m.