March 22, 2014
USD-UCSB Box Score
USD-LBSU Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The USD Softball team (14-14) dropped two games in day one of the USD Tournament. They lost 2-1 to UC Santa Barbara (20-6) in a pitchers duel and had their rally fall short to Long Beach State (21-8), where they lost 7-6 in extra innings.
In game one, the Gauchos grabbed an early 2-0 lead when Emily Brucelas hit a two run home run to leftfield in the top of the second. The Toreros cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Kylie Ordos launched a solo home run to left field, but that would be all the scoring the Toreros could muster.
Aside from Ordos' home run, the Gauchos' Shelby Wisdom allowed just three scattered singles and USD only had a runner in scoring position once.
Wisdom (8-5) picked up the win after allowing just one run on four hits and striking out four. Cassidy Coleman (6-6) was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out eight.
In game two, Jenny Lahitte struck out the side in the first inning, retiring the 49ers 1-2-3. However, Long Beach was able to snag a 4-0 lead in the following inning. After loading the bases, the 49ers drew a RBI walk, which was followed by a bases clearing single.
The Toreros got one back in the bottom of the third when Chloe Kaneko hit a RBI single up the middle to bring Kylie Ordos home to bring the score to 4-1.
The Toreros put on their rally caps in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. Dana Prelsnik led off the inning with a double down the right field line, and a Chloe Kaneko single advanced her to third. Mary Grabowki knocked Prelsnik home with a single up the middle, which advanced Kylie McNutt, who pinch ran for Kaneko to second. After an Olivia Sandusky pop up, Caitlin Rooney singled to load up the bases for the Toreros. Danielle Mavridis came up with the clutch hit, a two RBI single up the middle that tied the game up at 4-4.
The 49ers regrouped to score three runs in the top of the eighth. With the international tiebreaker rule at play, Long Beach led off with a single to leftfield to put runners on second and third. The next batter, Ashley Holmes, knocked them both in with a double to deep rightfield. Holmes would eventually come around to score on a single.
The Toreros rallied once again in the eighth. With runners on first and third, Tatum Schultz hit a RBI single to centerfield. USD would load the bases after Kaneko singled and then Grabowski brought Prelsnik home with a fielder's choice. Olivia Sandusky lined out to centerfield to end the game, stranding the tying run on third.
The 49ers' Erin Wesley-Jones (12-4) picked up the win, allowing six runs (five earned) on 12 hits. Amanda Hansen, who came in the 8th inning, earned the save, getting the final two outs. Jenny Lahitte (6-7) takes the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) and striking out 12.
The Toreros will have a rematch with both UC Santa Barbara (3:00 p.m.) and Long Beach State (5:30 p.m.) on Sunday in day two of the USD Tournament II.
