UC Davis went to San Diego expecting to play five games.
Unfortunately, inclement weather changed the schedule of the San Diego Classic I, forcing the Aggies to just three match-ups.
Still, UC Davis took it in stride. After falling 11-4 to Northwestern on Friday, the Aggies beat University of San Diego and Sacramento State on Saturday.
The Aggies are now 4-4 on the year and, after two rain-soaked weekends, head home.
Friday – Northwestern 11, UC Davis 4
In the first game of the tournament, the Aggies were roughed up early.
Sophomore Jessica Thweatt allowed six earned runs while recording only one out.
Softball coach Karen Yoder points out that many of these runs were caused by poor defense.
“Those six runs weren’t hers,” Yoder said. “Our defense needs to support our pitchers. We put ourselves in that position. We should not have given Northwestern a chance to score six.”
The Aggies didn’t quit though. After senior Alex Holmes finished the inning, she drove in a run in the bottom of the first.
In the fourth, the Aggies cut the deficit to three, taking advantage of a leadoff walk.
Kelly Schulze continued her hot hitting and launched her first home run of the season, a solo blast that brought the Aggies to within two.
Unfortunately, it would be a case of too little, too late. The Wildcats closed out the game with a four-run seventh inning.
Yoder is pleased that her team refused to give up despite the early score.
“We continued to fight back,” Yoder said. “We put four runs on the board. If we had done our jobs defensively, this game would have been completely different.”
Saturday – UC Davis 2, San Diego 1
Again, the Aggies weren’t perfect on defense with three errors against the Toreros, but they still came out on top.
In the bottom of the third, Schulze and Elizabeth Santana each drove in a run, giving the Aggies a lead they wouldn’t relinquish due to a dominant performance from Holmes.
Holmes got the support from the defense late in the game en route to her first win of the season.
In the seventh, Torero Kristen Gensler managed to get on base, but was thrown out at the plate later in the inning.
San Diego did manage to get on the scoreboard, but it wouldn’t be enough as UC Davis held out and won, 2-1.
“Offensively, we’re still leaving runners on, but we’re still scoring runs,” Yoder said.
Saturday – UC Davis 3, Sacramento State 1
Another dominating pitching performance gave the Aggies the win over rival Sac State.
Thweatt, in a rebound performance after Northwestern, came through in a big way, allowing only one run on three hits in a complete game.
Thweatt did her part to get the Aggies the win, and so did her offense.
Schulze continued her hot-streak driving in Jessica Gonzalez in the first inning. A double from Heather Zimmerman and a Hornet miscue gave the Aggies another run. Schulze had three hits on Saturday and has driven in six runs in eight games.
“[Schulze] is doing her job right now,” Yoder said. “She’s been effective in the number four spot and picking up Santana in the third spot.”
UC Davis will face the Hornets again as the Aggies play their first game at home on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
MATT WANG can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
