| Game 1: No. 4 seed UC Davis 5, No. 5 seed Long Beach State 3 |
Championship Central |
Box Score |
UCD Presser | Interactive Bracket
FULLERTON, Calif. — No. 4 seed UC Davis opened the 2026 Big West Softball Championship with a 5-3 victory over No. 5 seed Long Beach State on Wednesday afternoon at Anderson Family Field on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. The Aggies used a three-run third inning and added two insurance runs in the sixth to hold off a late Beach rally and advance in the winner's bracket.
UC Davis totaled nine hits and played error-free defense, while Long Beach State was hampered by three fielding miscues that led to key scoring opportunities. The Beach struck first in the opening inning before the Aggies answered with three runs in the third and never relinquished the lead. Long Beach State cut the deficit to one on two separate occasions, but UC Davis pitching closed the door over the final two innings.
Gia Felice led the Aggies offensively with two hits, including a triple, while adding an RBI and a run scored. Sydney Polli also collected two hits and drove in a run, and Keira Brady finished with a pair of hits, including a double, and one RBI. Marley Panziera scored once and added a hit, while Claire Shelton chipped in two hits in the win. In the circle, Caroline Grimes struck out seven across 5.1 innings before Ashley Sawai earned the victory in relief, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings.
Brooklyn Lee paced Long Beach State with a perfect 3-for-3 performance that included a home run, double, and all three RBIs. Nina Sepulveda added a hit, a walk, and a stolen base, while Audree Mendoza and Priscilla Iniguez each contributed offensively. Kate Barnett allowed just one earned run across 2.2 innings in the start, while Isabella Alonso struck out two in relief.
UC Davis advanced to face top-seeded Cal State Fullerton in Thursday's winner's bracket matchup, while Long Beach State moved into the elimination bracket and fell to 29-22 overall.
Gallery: (5-6-2026) 26 SB: No. 4 UCD vs No. 5 LBSU
| Game 2: No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara 10, No. 6 seed UC San Diego 9 (9 inn.) |
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UCSB Presser |
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In Game 2, No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara outlasted No. 6 seed UC San Diego in a 10-9 extra frame thriller (9 inn.) to advance in the winner's bracket of the 2026 Big West Softball Championship. The Gauchos secured the walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth after both teams combined for 31 hits and six home runs in one of the highest-scoring games in championship history.
UC San Diego built momentum with a four-run fifth inning and totaled 18 hits in the contest, but UCSB answered throughout the afternoon and eventually pushed across two runs in the ninth to secure the victory. The Gauchos overcame three defensive errors and stranded 13 runners, but timely hitting proved decisive in the marathon matchup.
Ainsley Waddell delivered a standout performance for UCSB, going 3-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs, and two walks.
Bella Fuentes added a two-run homer and drove in two, while
Delaina Ma'ae scored twice and added a double with one RBI.
Giselle Mejia collected two hits and an RBI, Emily Carr contributed two hits and a run driven in, and
Ella Myers added two hits of their own. Tehya Banks anchored the defense with six assists at shortstop. In relief,
Sophia Clark tossed the final 2.2 innings to help secure the win.
UC San Diego's offense was equally explosive, led by Haley Garcia's three-hit effort atop the lineup. Zara Wasserman homered, doubled, and drove in two runs, while Lily Hermosillo added a three-run homer. Samantha Womack also homered and finished with one RBI, while Tyla Arbuckle went 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Marley Espiau and Maalia Cherry each contributed multi-hit performances in the loss.
UC Santa Barbara advanced to face No. 2 Hawai'i in Thursday's winner's bracket contest, while UC San Diego dropped into the elimination bracket at 23-27 overall.
Gallery: (5-6-2026) 26 SB: No. 3 UCSB vs No. 6 UCSD
| No. 5 seed Long Beach State 5, No. 4 seed UC San Diego 4 |
Championship Central |
Box Score |
LBSU Presser |
UCSD Presser |
Interactive Bracket
Facing elimination in Game 3, No. 5 seed Long Beach State responded with a 5-4 victory over No. 6 seed UC San Diego to stay alive in the 2026 Big West Softball Championship. The Beach jumped out early with a three-run first inning and held off a late Triton rally behind a resilient bullpen effort.
Long Beach State totaled seven hits and manufactured runs throughout the contest with three sacrifice bunts and aggressive baserunning. UC San Diego erased a 4-0 deficit with a four-run fifth inning, but the Beach answered in the sixth and stranded the tying run over the final two frames.
Priscilla Iniguez led the Beach offense with two hits, including a double, an RBI, and a stolen base. Emily Dowden added two hits and drove in a run, while Audree Mendoza and Elissa Guerrero each collected RBI hits. Avery Weisbrook doubled and scored, and Nina Sepulveda crossed the plate twice while drawing two walks and stealing a base.
Isabella Alonso opened with three scoreless innings and struck out three, while Kate Barnett earned the victory in relief after entering with the bases loaded in the fifth inning and escaping the jam. Barnett tossed 2.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to preserve the win.
UC San Diego was led by Marley Espiau, who recorded two hits and two RBIs. Lily Hermosillo doubled and scored, while Jackie Tremper and Samantha Womack each added a hit and a run scored. The Tritons drew four walks but were limited to five hits overall after erupting for 18 earlier in the day.
Long Beach State advanced to continue play in the elimination bracket and will face the non-winning team of Game 4 tomorrow, while UC San Diego concluded its season at 23-28.
Gallery: (5-6-2026) 26 SB: No. 5 LBSU vs No. 6 UCSD