10-25, 4-12
UC San Diego
15-22, 5-11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| UC San Diego | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 3 | 0 |
Late-Inning Rally Comes Up Short in Game Two as Cal Poly Swept Saturday
4/11/2026 6:17:00 PM | Softball
LA JOLLA – Sophomore catcher Maya Venegas hit her first career home run and the Cal Poly softball program nearly overturned a nine-run deficit during the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at UC San Diego before falling, 10-8. The Mustangs also dropped Saturday’s opener, 5-1.
During Saturday’s opening 5-1 setback, Cal Poly loaded the bases with two down in the top of the first inning against UC San Diego starting lefthander Zoë Rutherford (4-5). The Mustangs, however, failed to score and UC San Diego took advantage in the bottom half through first baseman Zara Wasserman’s three-run homer.
UC San Diego completed its scoring in the third with catcher Lily Hermosillo drawing a bases-loaded walk before Wasserman scored on a wild pitch.
Offensively, Cal Poly was kept to just two hits between the second and fifth innings before eventually breaking through in the sixth after freshman designated player Karina Choi singled to lead off, stole second and scored with sophomore catcher Maya Venegas singling into left center.
Cal Poy outhit UC San Diego, 6-3, but stranded eight baserunners during the opener.
T4 | Maya Venegas with her first career homer to cut Cal Poly's deficit at UC San Diego!#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/QsVJt6O0KR
— Cal Poly Softball (@CalPolySoftball) April 11, 2026
During Saturday’s second game – an eventual 10-8 loss – Cal Poly trailed 9-0 after three innings before Venegas hit a three-run homer in the top of the fourth and freshman second baseman Madi Bohannon followed with a run-scoring double to cut the gap to five.
UC San Diego added a solo run in the fifth before Cal Poly struck back with three more runs during the sixth as senior left fielder Kiara Blanchard supplied a two-run double before scoring herself through a groundout from freshman shortstop Leilani Allen that closed the deficit to 10-7.
Into the seventh, freshman first baseman Myleigh Cooper led off with a walk before pinch runner Sienna Erskine stole second and scored through junior center fielder A’Niyla Byrd’s triple to right center. Blanchard drew a one-out walk later in the inning but, Bohannon – coming to the plate as the go-ahead run – flew into a game-ending double play.
Blanchard and Allen co-led Cal Poly with two hits apiece in game No. 2.
Cal Poly completes the three-game series on Sunday, April 12. First pitch has been shifted to 10 a.m. from 12 noon after expected precipitation.
T7 | It's now a 10-8 game at UC San Diego after A'Niyla Byrd triples home Sienna Erskine!#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/wuL2V9K7SS
— Cal Poly Softball (@CalPolySoftball) April 11, 2026
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rutherford, Zoe (4-5)
L: Brennan, Bree (6-8)
Batting:
RBI: Venegas, Maya 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Choi, Karina 1
SB: Choi, Karina 1
CS: Bermudez, Maddy 1
Batting:
HR: Wasserman, Zara 1
RBI: Wasserman, Zara 3 ; Hermosillo, Lily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wasserman, Zara 2 ; Garcia, Haley 1 ; Espiau, Marley 2
SB: Umemura, Emma 1
HBP: Espiau, Marley 2
