LA JOLLA, Calif. - San Diego softball (8-15) rebounded in double header action on Sunday afternoon to split with UC San Diego on the road. The game two victory marks the first road win for head coach MJ Knighten.
 
"This team is learning, competing and leaning into this game," said Knighten. "Their response in game two was inspiring."
 
GAME 1 | San Diego 3, UC San Diego 7
 
Three errors by the defense was the difference maker in game one as San Diego fell 3-7. Madison Earnshaw (2-6) earned the start in the circle, throwing four innings and giving up four runs only two earned on three hits.
 
Junior AJ Kaiser paced the Toreros in the batter's box going 1-for-2 in the contest with a walk. Hayley Hensley also put together a noteworthy performance going 1-for-3 with an RBI.
 
The Tritons got on the board first in the bottom of the second with a homerun off Earnshaw. San Diego responded in the top of the fourth as a single by Hensley drove in Kaiser to even the score at one.
 
A throwing error would prove costly in the bottom half of the inning as UCSD generated a two-run advantage to make it 3-1. The Tritons continued to take advantage in the bottom of the fifth scoring two more, both unearned.
 
Alexia Torculas came through in the top of the seventh in start a rally with a bunt single. Kyler followed it with a single as the Toreros loaded the bases on a walk by Malia Benson. Rion Simms brought two around on a hard-hit ball to the short stop to cut the deficit to four.
 
The Toreros couldn't pull any closer, dropping game one 3-7.
 
GAME 2 | San Diego 5, UC San Diego 4
 
The offense rallied in game two as Simms led the Toreros in the box going 3-for-4 in the contest with a double and two RBI. Two more players added to the offensive onslaught as Kyler went 2-for-3 with a walk and Benson hit a perfect 2-for-2.
 
Courtney Rose (1-5) came in in relief for San Diego pitching 4.2 innings, giving up only three hits while striking out one.
 
San Diego started off hot as Simms doubled to left center to lead things off before Torculas singled to bring her around. The Tritons evened the score at one in the bottom of the first with a single down the right field line.
 
USD continued to work in the top of the second as Kyler scored on a suicide squeeze by Amanda Limon. Simms once again came through with runners in scoring position with a single in the gap to create a 3-1 advantage San Diego.
 
The Tritons answered in the third to make it three all, before Rose entered the circle to retire the side.
 
The game remained tied until the top of the sixth when Kyler led off with a single to short. It was Simms again who would come through in the leadoff spot with an RBI single break the tie and make it 4-3 USD.
 
The Toreros added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Sophia Bjerk came through with an RBI pinch hit double to score Sofia Delgado. San Diego's defense held in the bottom half of the inning to win it 5-4.
 
San Diego will have a quick turn around with a midweek contest on the road at Cal Baptist on Tuesday, March 23 at 4 p.m. (PT).