March 23, 2014
USD-UCSB Box Score
USD-LBSU Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The USD Softball team (15-15) split their two games in the final day of the USD Tournament II. After the Toreros and Jenny Lahitte shutout UC Santa Barbara (20-8) 2-0 in game one, they fell 3-2 to Long Beach State (23-9) in game two.
In game one the Toreros struck first, scoring one in the bottom of the third when freshman Olivia Sandusky brought Tatum Schultz home from third with a single through the left side.
USD would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Olivia Sandusky led off with a single up the middle, Caitlin Rooney blasted a double to deep center to advance Sandusky to third. Two batters later Charly Swanberg knocked Sandusky in with a RBI fielder's choice to give USD a 2-0 lead
Jenny Lahitte (7-7) kept the Gaucho bats at bay, allowing just one hit through the first 4.1 innings and at one point retired 12 batters in a row. She finished with a complete game shutout, allowing four hits while striking out five. Santa Barbara's Andriana Collins (7-2) takes the loss after allowing two runs on eight hits.
In game two, Cassidy Coleman held the 49ers hitless through the first two innings, but Long Beach scored three runs in the top of the third. After Coleman got the leadoff batter out, the next two batters reached base and Leilani Tupua-Tautalatasi brought them home with a two-run triple to right-center. The next batter, Hannah De Gaetano, hit a double down the leftfield line to bring the score to 3-0 Long Beach State.
Mary Grabowski led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to deep centerfield and Sandusky knocked her in with an infield single, cutting the lead to 3-1.
The Toreros mounted a rally in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with no outs, but they could only bring one runner home. Caitlin Rooney hit an RBI sacrifice fly to deep center to bring home pinch runner Morgan Kurtz. The next batter, Danielle Mavridis, hit a single to rightfield, but Mary Grabowski was thrown out at home, leaving the score at 3-2 Long Beach.
Amanda Hansen (11-4), who gave up nine hits and two runs earned the win. Cassidy Coleman (6-7) was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs on three hits while striking out six.
The Toreros return to action on Wednesday when they face Cal State Northridge at 5:00 p.m. at San Diego State.
