LA JOLLA, Calif. - One win differentiates the third-place UC San Diego softball team (17-11) from its final two regular season opponents, second-place Cal State Monterey Bay (18-10) and fourth-place Cal State San Bernardino (16-11). With the top four teams earning a spot in the 2010 California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships at the end of the month and Cal State Dominguez Hills (16-12) just percentage points outside the playoff picture, the stakes are increasing with each passing game.
As the old coaching mantra goes, the Tritons will try to take it inning by inning and out by out, starting with Friday's first pitch at 1 p.m. to start the four-game home series with CSUMB. Saturday's doubleheader will serve as Senior Day, where UCSD will honor the achievements of Mandi Eliades, Nicole Saari and Christine Zankich. During their four years as Tritons, the trio has helped UCSD to an overall record of 124-91. Eliades, Saari and Zankich have already participated in the NCAA West Regional postseason on three occasions and are looking to secure their fourth appearance in just a few weeks.
Saari, batting .397 on the season, has led the Tritons' offense through the month of April thus far. In UCSD's eight games, the senior catcher is batting .500 (11-for-22) with four runs, three doubles and two runs batted in. Defensively she has continued her stellar play and opponents are shying away from testing her arm, evident by the one stolen base attempted on Saari up to this point in the month.
The Otters and Tritons have yet to meet in 2010, after facing each other seven times last season. UCSD went 4-3 against CSUMB in 2009, including a NCAA postseason win, and owns a 14-7 all-time advantage. The Otters have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games of 2010 but remain second in the conference standings.
The Tritons continue to receive votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 poll, which is led by the North Georgia squad that stands at a perfect 39-0.
UCSD will play its final regular season series on the road against CSUSB on April 23-24. The CCAA Championships, to be held in Stockton, Calif., will be held from April 30 to May 2.
