LONG BEACH, Calif. - The UC Davis softball team dropped two close games on Saturday, falling to Louisiana Monroe, 7-6, and Cal, 3-1, at the Wilson Invitational. After the day, the Aggies move to 6-3 on the season. 

Game One

The UC Davis Aggies took a 5-0 lead into the seventh inning, but could not hold on and fell 7-6 to the UL Monroe Warhawks on Saturday.

Freshman Caroline Grimes (0-1) came out of the bullpen for UC Davis and took the loss. Junior Taylor Fitzgerald started the ballgame, throwing seven innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on six hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.

Junior Sarah Nakahara led the way offensively for the Aggies, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Junior Anna Dethlefson chipped in 2-for-4 effort with a double. Junior Leah Polson also grabbed a pair of hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Aggies put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the third inning. UC Davis got an RBI single from senior Sommer Kisling, scoring Dethlefson from second base.

The Aggies then held the Warhawks scoreless before getting back on the board the very next inning. The UC Davis offense exploded for four runs, highlighted by a one-run single off the bat of Polson, which brought the Aggies lead to 5-0.

UC Davis' lead had disappeared by the time the seventh inning arrived and turned into a 7-5 UL Monroe advantage, when the Aggies cut that deficit to 7-6. The Aggies were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.

Game Two

Sophomore Grace Kilday went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI and the Aggies looked to bounced back after the morning's tough defeat, but the Cal Golden Bears earned the victory with a final of 3-1.

Junior Sarah Reineman (1-1) got the ball to start for UC Davis and took the loss after allowing three runs on 10 hits in 4.2 innings.

Offensively, the Aggies were led by Kilday, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a double and an RBI. Dethlefson also went 1-for-3 with a double.

The Aggies got on the scoreboard first, starting in the second inning. UC Davis got on the board thanks to Kilday's RBI double with two outs. The Aggies were unable to hold the lead, as Cal scored three times over the remaining five innings to grab the 3-1 win.

UC Davis will continue tournament play when they head to the Fresno State Classic for five games. The Aggies open tournament play against Idaho State on Friday, Feb. 24.