UC San Diego Walks Off to Win West Super Region Title
UC San Diego defeated Concordia-Irvine Saturday in walk-off fashion, taking two from the Eagles on their home turf in Super Regional action to advance to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Three CCAA schools have earned the West Super Regional title in the last nine years. UC San Diego won the national championship in 2011 and finished runner up in '12, Humboldt State advanced to the NCAA final site in '13, '16 and 17, taking second in 2016, and last year, Chico State was the winner of the West Super Regional. UC San Diego is in the midst of its 11th NCAA postseason run.
Originally posted on ucsdtritons.com
IRVINE, Calif. – The No. 14 University of California San Diego softball team punched its ticket to Denver with a dramatic 4-3 walk off win over No. 9 Concordia Irvine on Friday afternoon. UC San Diego won the best two-of-three series at the West Super Regional in Irvine, claiming its first West Region title since 2012.
It was a back-and-forth affair between the two teams. After a run by the Eagles in the second inning, the Tritons responded in the fourth. With no outs, Sherriah Harrington reached first with a bunt single and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. Then, with a full count, Mikaila Reyes stroked a single to center field, and Harrington came around to score to tie the game.
When the Eagles regained the lead in the fifth, UC San Diego answered once again in the bottom half of the inning. Danielle Stedman led off with a bunt single, and a single to left by Maddy Lewis put runners on first and second for Danica Kazakoff. The junior executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, and the Eagles then chose to intentionally walk Triton RBI leader Keila Bosinger.
Later in the inning, with one out and the bases still loaded, Isabel Lavrov stepped up to the plate. Lavrov drew a four-pitch walk from Eagles starting pitcher Callie Nunes, sending Stedman home to tie the game, 2-2.
The Tritons trailed 4-3 heading into the seventh, but continued to fight. The bases were quickly loaded for UC San Diego, as Lewis was hit by a pitch, Kazakoff singled, and Bosinger was again intentionally walked. With no outs, Harrington’s sacrifice fly to center field was deep enough for Lewis, who flew down the base path, touching home plate to tie the game.
The next batter, Lavrov, then demonstrated her patience at the plate once again, this time drawing a walk with a full count.
With the bases loaded and just one out, Mikaila Reyes stepped the plate. Reyes battled, and on the eighth pitch of the at bat, she drilled a single into left center field to bring home Kazakoff for the winning run. The 4-3 walk-off victory secured the Tritons’ West Region title.
Next up, UC San Diego will travel to Denver. As one of the eight Super Regional champions, the Tritons will battle for the national title from May 23-27.