April 16, 2011

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A four-homerun game-one, two of which came from Taylor Hensley, gave the Toreros a 9-1 win followed by a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Cal-State Bakersfield Roadrunners extended the San Diego win-streak to five games Saturday afternoon in a PCSC doubleheader at the USD Softball Complex.

USD celebrated a successful third annual Military Appreciation Day honoring the brave men and women of the US Armed Forces in attendance. Captain Ricky Williamson of Naval Base San Diego, Sergeant Ian Cromwell, and Sergeant Javier Rincon both of MCAS Mirimar were in attendance to throw out the Honorary First Pitch. They honored America as the USS Makin Island Ceremonial Color Guard presented the colors while the USS Makin Island Ceremonial Choir sang a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Rounding out the day, Military families were treated to a BBQ hosted by the USD Athletic Department.

The Toreros, going into the doubleheader tied for first place with Loyola Marymount in the Coastal Division of the PCSC, move above .500 with the doubleheader sweep as they improve to 15-14 overall, and 5-1 in the PCSC.

Taylor Hensley got the Toreros off to a great start in the first inning with a solo homer over the left field wall lifting USD to a 1-0 lead. The Roadrunners responded with a run in the fourth inning tying the game, however the Toreros didn't flinch in the bottom half of the inning when Jessica Tieszen sent a ball deep into the outfield and got the go sign from Coach McElvain at third to make a break for home and beat the throw for an inside-the-park homerun as San Diego took back the lead 2-0.

The USD-bats unleashed in the fifth inning as San Diego scored two homeruns and recorded two doubles and pushed across seven runs. With two outs and Megan Walsh second base after a single and a stolen, Kristen Gensler recorded an RBI single up the middle scoring Walsh. Gensler then scored off of a double from Dana Prelsnik. Taylor Hensley recorded a two-RBI homerun, her second of the game, lifting USD to a 6-1 lead over the Roadrunners. Jessica Tieszen walked and was knocked in when Celeste Soto sent a two-RBI bomb deep for the Toreros fourth homerun of the game giving USD an 8-1 lead. Lauren Tomey hit the single of the game when with an RBI-shot up the middle as Tieszen rounded for home scoring the winning run for the 9-1 lead.

Kaitlin Healy records her fifth complete game improving to 6-4 overall on the season for the Toreros striking out three batters and giving up only one earned run.

In Game two, both teams put up a run in the fourth inning knotting it up at 1-1. Bakersfield pushed across a run in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead. The Toreros responded with a two-run sixth inning and held tough on defense. Jessica Tieszen walked and moved ahead to second on a sacrifice bunt by Celeste Soto. Lauren Tomey singled to centerfield advancing Tieszen to third base. Allison Stalberger came in to pinch run for Tomey at first base and stole second base putting runners at second and third base. Kimberlee Shimizu hit a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Tieszen to score tying the game at 2-2. On that play, the throw home to the catcher was too late and Stalberger chose to advance to third base forcing the catcher to make a bad throw to third base recording an error. Stalberger took advantage of the poor throw scoring the winning run as USD went on to win 3-2.

Jenny Lahitte pitched 4.1 innings striking out three batters on the day for the Toreros. Cassidy Coleman came in pitching 2.2 innings picking up the win improving to 3-4 on the season striking out three Roadrunner batters.

The Toreros remain tied for first place with PCSC rival Loyola Marymount at 5-1 in conference action with a five-game win streak under the belt, the longest streak in the Coastal Division and the second longest in the conference. In other action around the PCSC this afternoon, LMU defeated Santa Clara 8-0 and 8-2 while Saint Mary's and Sacramento State split with the Hornets winning 5-2 and the Gaels taking game two 8-0.

San Diego returns to action on Sunday, April 17 to wrap up their four-game series against the Roadrunners with 12:00 set for the first pitch.