SAN JOSE, Calif. – The UC Davis softball team continued it impressive run through tournament play as the Aggies secured a pair of victories in the first day of the Silicon Valley Classic. The Ags came back in the opener to down Rhode Island, 4-3, and then downed host San Jose State, 3-1. After the day, UCD improves to 12-6 on the season.
Game 1
UC Davis held the Rhode Island Rams to three runs on Friday, and the Aggies lineup did the rest, pushing just enough runners across to earn the come-from-behind 4-3 victory.
Junior Taylor Fitzgerald (2-2) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for UC Davis. The right-hander went four innings, giving up one run on four hits, allowing no walks and striking out one. Junior Sarah Reineman started the ballgame and threw two shutout innings, while allowing two hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.
Offensively, the Aggies were led by junior Sarah Starks, who went 2-for-4 with a triple. Sophomore Bella Pahulu continued her hot play at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Trailing 2-0, the Aggies first put runs on the board in the fourth inning. Pahulu's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run inning for UC Davis.
The Rams broke the tie and re-took the lead heading into the fifth inning, when the Aggies got back on the scoreboard. UC Davis picked up two runs when a single from Pahulu scored senior Alyssa Ito and junior Anna Dethlefson, which brought the score to 4-3 in favor of the Aggies.
Game 2
The Aggies secured the first day sweep by downing host San Jose State, 3-1.
Junior Kenedi Brown (7-3) went the distance to earn the victory. The reigning Big West Pitcher of the Week gave up one run on four hits, allowing two walks and struck out seven.
Dethlefson went 1-for-4 in the day-one finale with a double and an RBI. Senior Sommer Kisling batted 2-for-3 with a double. Newcomer Mickey Buscemi collected her first collegiate his with a triple.
The Aggies put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. UCD got an RBI single from junior Rylie Costa, scoring junior Sarah Starks from second base.
After the Spartans rallied to tie the ballgame at one, the Aggies came back to retake the lead in the seventh inning. UC Davis plated two runs, punctuated by a run-scoring double off the bat of Dethlefson, which brought the score to the final 3-1 margin.
The Ags will head to Santa Clara for two games tomorrow to conclude the tournament. UC Davis will face Utah State at noon and the host Broncos at 2:30 p.m.
