March 9, 2012
RENO, Nev. - The University of San Diego softball team lost both games on the first day of the Wolfpack Classic I on Friday afternoon from the University of Nevada's Hixson Park. The Toreros dropped the opener to Wisconsin 6-3 before falling to Nevada 6-5 in the second game of the doubleheader. The losses snap USD's seven-game winning streak.
Highlighting the day for the Toreros was catcher Taylor Hensley, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI against Wisconsin and 3-for-4 with an RBI against Nevada. Third baseman Chloe Kaneko picked up a total of three hits on the day, while Lauren Tomey went 2-for-3 with her first home run of the season and three RBI against Nevada.
In game one, the Toreros (10-8) got on the board right away against the Badgers with Hensley's solo home run to left field in the top of the first; it was Hensley's team-leading fourth long ball of the year. USD would add another run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single to right field from outfielder Dana Prelsnik that plated Katie Emerson and put the Toreros up 2-0.
Wisconsin (7-6) answered in the bottom of the third, however, with three runs of their own. The Badgers got an RBI single from Karla Powell that put them on the board. Two batters later, Mary Massei tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single to center field, and Maggie Strange scored on a wild pitch by USD starter Jenny Lahitte that gave Wisconsin a 3-2 lead.
The Badgers put up another three-run inning in the bottom of the sixth that allowed them to pull away. Whitney Massey drove in a pair of runs with a single to center field, while Molly Spence picked up the final Wisconsin run of the day with her base hit to center, giving the Badgers a 6-2 lead heading into the final inning.
The Toreros managed to put up one run in the top of the seventh when Morgan Kurtz scored on a double play with Taylor Hensley at the plate.
Cassandra Darrah (5-3) earned the win for Wisconsin, throwing a complete game while allowing three runs on 10 hits and striking out three. Lahitte (4-4) took the loss for USD with her 5.2 innings of work where she allowed six runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts.
Game two again saw the Toreros put up the game's first run when they got an RBI single from Tomey in the top of the first that gave them an early 1-0 lead.
Nevada (6-17) came out in the bottom of the first, however, with three runs as Lauren Lastrapes and Ashley Butera each doubled in runs and Megan Fincher knocked in another one with an RBI single that put the Wolfpack up 3-1.
In the top of the second, USD started to chip away with Prelsnik's RBI sacrifice bunt that scored Emerson from third and cut the Nevada lead to 3-2.
The Wolfpack then put up another two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run home run by Butera that gave Nevada a 5-2 edge.
USD didn't waste any time responding as Tomey connected in the top of the sixth for a two-run shot off Nevada starter Mallary Darby, bringing the Toreros within one at 5-4.
Nevada posted the eventual deciding run in the bottom of the sixth when Karley Hopkins drove in a run with an RBI ground out to second base. The Toreros would mount a brief comeback effort in the top of the seventh with Hensley's two-out RBI single to shortstop that brought home Kurtz. However, the rally would fall short with Tieszen's ground out back to the pitcher to end the game.
Darby (5-6) picked up the win for Nevada, going 6.2 innings, giving up five runs (3ER) on nine hits while striking out five. Cassidy Coleman (4-4) was saddled with the loss for USD, throwing 5.0 innings where she allowed five runs (4ER) on six hits with eight strikeouts.
USD looks to bounce back with two more games on Saturday. The Toreros will play Wisconsin again at 10:30 am and Nevada at 3:00 pm.
