Game 3 recap: UC San Diego vs. Rutgers

Photo by Jayson Ortiz
UC SAN DIEGO 7, RUTGERS 5
Box Score

FORT COLLINS, CO — Deena Pederson hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the sixth inning cap a rally by UC San Diego, which moved past Rutgers in Game 3 of the 2022 NISC.

This is the first year of Division-I competition for UC San Diego.

The leadoff hitter in the order, Pederson worked a full count against Rutgers reliever Ashley Hitchcock and hit one up the middle to score Morgan Eng and Alexa Demarse to pull the Tritons ahead, 6-5. A solo home run from Isabel Lavrov in the top of the seventh provided some breathing room to make it 7-5.

Kaia Simpson threw 4 2/3 innings of quality relief work for UC San Diego (28-26), which will face second-seeded Baylor on Sunday in the winner’s hall of the double-elim bracket. Rutgers (25-29) will play Monday in the loser’s half.

Rutgers jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning as Taylor Fawcett hit a two-out double. Katie Wingert followed with a single to right-center to bring in the run; the Scarlett Knights made it 4-0 in the third, starting with a solo home run from Payton Lincavage. That was followed by a two-run shot off the bat of Kayla Bock.

UC San Diego responded in a big way, rapping out five hits in the top of the fifth inning and culminating with a three-run homer by Bobbi Aguirre that cut the Rutgers lead to 5-4.