(Fullerton, Calif. - Feb. 8, 2025) - The Trailblazers continued action on Saturday splitting a pair of contests at the Easton Classic falling 4-3 to CSUN in eight innings and run-ruled Southern, 17-2 at Anderson Family Field.

The first game against CSUN (1-3) saw UT continue its hot start offensively finishing with 11 hits. Sadie Gardner recorded her third straight multi-hit game to start the season finishing 3-for-4 with three singles and one run scored.

Three more Trailblazers notched two hits apiece in LB Kahahawai-Kekona, Marisa Rubio and Maka Sonognini. In the circle, sophomore Riley Price made her second straight start tossing a complete game allowing seven hits, four runs, two earned, struck out two and walked three in eight innings of work.

The offense stayed hot in the second contest against Southern University defeating the Jaguars in five innings behind 16 hits that saw hits from 10 different Trailblazers.

Led by three-hit performances from Cassidy Hornung and Baylee Howley, four of the Trailblazers' base knocks went for extra bases with doubles from Jayda Gleave and Gardner and triples from Jorja Crider and Howley.

Sauren Garton earned her second win of the season tossing a complete game allowing five hits, two runs, struck out nine and walked none in five innings. The nine strikeouts were the second-most in her career behind only 10 vs. UC Santa Barbara on March 11, 2023.

CSUN Recap
With CSUN jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Trailblazers got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single through the left side by Kahahawai-Kekona that scored Gardner.

After the Matadors scored on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 3-1, the Trailblazers answered back with two runs in the home half of the frame scoring one run on an RBI double to left-center by Carly Eldredge and Eldredge came around to score after a fielding error by CSUN at second base.

Loading the bases with two outs in the sixth, the Trailblazers looked to push the go-ahead run across, but Eldredge bounced out to third to end the threat.

After a scoreless seventh, the Trailblazers and Matadors headed to extra innings. With CSUN's Raegan Jackson starting the frame on second base, she stole third and came home to score after a throwing error by UT's Kinley Pappas behind the plate.

A one-out single to center by Hornung put runners at the corners in the bottom of the frame, but a sacrifice bunt and fly out to left closed out the game for the Trailblazers.

Southern Recap
Turning right around against Southern University, members of the SWAC, the Trailblazers fell behind 1-0 in the early going.

Responding with a nine-run bottom of the first, the Trailblazers sent up 13 batters in the frame. Getting the scoring started with a bases-loaded walk to Crider, UT added RBI base hits from Howley, Gleave, Gardner, Kahahawai-Kekona and Eldredge to take a 9-1 lead.

An RBI single to center by Gleave pushed the UT lead to 10-1 and after the Jaguars scored their second run of the game in the third, the Trailblazers answered back with four runs for a 14-2 lead.

A bases-clearing triple by Crider brought home three and a fielding error by the Southern pitcher allowed Crider to score. Three more runs came home in the fifth to give UT 17 runs, their most since a 17-1 win at UT Arlington on March 31, 2023.

Up Next
The Trailblazers close out action at the Easton Classic on Sunday against host Cal State Fullerton (2-1) at 11 a.m. at Anderson Family Field on ESPN+.