In consecutive games that rivaled the excitement of a playoff game seven, the Gators came through when it counted most and swept the nation's No. 16, UC San Diego, at home on April 25 with 2-1 victories in both games.
After her team scored the game-tying run in dramatic fashion at the bottom of the seventh, coach Cristina Byrne couldn't hold in her excitement as she smiled from ear to ear—even though the second game wasn't finished.
She knew, going into extra innings, her team had finally learned what it takes to win the one-run ball games.
"Everyone was making fun of me because I had the biggest grin on my face," Byrne said, still smiling 15 minutes after the game. "I couldn't be more proud of the way they stepped up and got it done. Right now I'm on cloud nine."
The first game was a pitching duel as SF State's Ashley Jackson (14-8) and UC San Diego's Melissa Ward (14-13) matched each other for four innings until catcher Kelsey Wood crushed a pitch from Ward over the left field fence for a two-run home run to give the Gators a 2-0 lead.
"They thought we were going to bunt with a runner on first, but she threw me one and I took advantage of it," Wood said.
That turned out to be all the purple and gold would need as Jackson handled the Triton batters the rest of the way until things got interesting in the seventh.
A couple errors by SF State allowed UC San Diego to score one run with runners still on second and third with two outs. After a quick team meeting with Byrne on the mound the Gators settled down.
Jackson got the next batter to ground out to her as she calmly paused for what seemed like an eternity, collected herself and threw to first base for the out.
Jackson got the win, pitching seven innings, giving up one unearned run while striking out nine and walking one.
In the nightcap another pitchers' duel ensued, this time between Gator pitcher Kendra Wood and Tritons pitcher Lauren Chastain.
UC San Diego scored first on an error by Kendra Wood in the fourth inning to take a 1-0 lead, but the Gators made a memorable comeback in the seventh.
The Gators would tie the game when Tritons catcher Nicole Saari and pitcher Chastain began talking after a slow roller turned into a single for Kendra Wood. Third base coach Byrne saw they weren't paying attention to Alyssa Esquibel as she rounded third base hard with no one covering home.
Esquibel crept down the third base line as coach Byrne whispered for her to go home. In a foot race between Esquibel and Saari, Esquibel slid into home beating the catcher by about a foot to tie the game 1-1.
The Gators won the game in the ninth inning after more dramatics.
Kendra Wood hit a ground ball to UC San Diego shortstop Danielle Lukk and Lukk dove for second base to get the force out that would have ended the inning, but the shortstop's stretch came up inches short of the bag.
Carolyn Gubbine rounded third, and after seeing that the shortstop wouldn't make it, coach Byrne sent Gubbine home. Gubbine slid into home seconds before the throw as the crowd erupted in celebration.
Kendra Wood (11-7) was the winning pitcher. She threw all nine innings, allowing one unearned run while striking out four and walking one.
"It came from the top of the lineup, middle of the lineup and bottom of the lineup. Everybody got it done today and you can"t ask for more," Byrne said.
With the two wins the Gators move closer to securing a spot for the playoffs.
