Olivia Sandusky has a 3.78 GPA

Softball

Two Out Rally Lifts USD Past WCU 5-4

March 13, 2015

Box Score | Photo Gallery

SANTEE, Calif. - The USD Softball team (14-13) split their first two games of the San Diego Classic II at the Santee Sportsplex on Friday. In game one, USD had another seventh inning rally to beat Western Carolina 5-4 on an Olivia Sandusky walkoff RBI single. In the second game, USD fell to San Jose State 12-6. USD racked up 14 hits, but couldn't recover after giving up eight first inning runs to the Spartans.



In game one, the Catamounts were the first to crack the scoreboard, manufacturing a run in the top of the first. Abby Daniels led off with a chopper up the middle. She advanced to second on a passed ball and to third on a groundout. Kara Salvo knocked her in on a single to left field to give WCU a 1-0 lead.



Sophomore Olivia Sandusky knotted the score at 1-1 with a leadoff solo home run to left in the second inning. It was Sandusky's first home run of the season and the second of her career.



The Catamounts offense got going in the third inning. After beginning the inning with back-to-back doubles to left field, Taylor Sigmon hit a two-run home run (also to left) to give Western Carolina a 4-1 lead.



Kailey Hill belted a two run home run down the left field line in the third to bring home Frankie Perales and cut the deficit to one run. It was Hill's third home run in the past four games and her team-leading sixth on the season.



After Grace Hernandez got the leadoff batter to ground out in the top of the fourth, the next three batters reached to load the bases. Coach McElvain then brought in Paige von Sprecken, who got out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout, keeping the score at 4-3.



In the bottom of the seventh the first two USD batters were retired and the outcome looked bleak, but for the second game in a row USD rallied for a walk-off win. Frankie Perales and Tatum Schultz had back-to-back singles, which was followed by a Kailey Hill walk, loading the bases for Olivia Sandusky. USD tied the game after scoring on a wild pitch and then Sandusky had a game-winning single up the middle to give USD the 5-4 win. USD now has eight one-run wins on the season.



Von Sprecken (10-4) earned the win after giving up just one hit in 3.2 scoreless innings.



In game two, the Toreros scored one run in the top of the first. Perales led off the game with a single and came around to score on a Sandusky RBI single.



However, the Torero pitchers struggled against San Jose State, who has one of most prolific offenses in the nation. The Spartans plated eight runs in the first on four hits, taking advantage of three von Sprecken walks and an error. Only one of San Jose State's eight runs were earned.



The Toreros got one back in the third when Kelsey Borello scored on a Tatum Schultz sacrifice fly, but the Spartans responded with four more runs in the bottom of the inning to open up a 12-2 lead.



The Toreros scratched and clawed their back to extend the game past five innings. Megan Sabbatini, was masterful in the circle, allowing just two hits while striking out six in 3.2 scoreless innings.



USD scored one run on four hits in the fourth when Chloe Kaneko knocked in Morgan Kurtz, who went 3-3 with two runs and a RBI in the game.



The Toreros took advantage of two Spartan errors in the fifth, cutting the lead to 12-5. USD would add one more in the seventh when Kelly Cobb singled to right, Kurtz advanced to third and then scored on an error.



The Toreros continue play in the San Diego Classic Saturday morning with games against Utah Valley State at 9:00 a.m. and Weber State at 11:30 a.m.



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Players Mentioned

Frankie Perales

#12 Frankie Perales

2B
5' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Kailey Hill

#21 Kailey Hill

OF/1B
5' 8"
Senior
Kelly Cobb

#15 Kelly Cobb

C
5' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Megan Sabbatini

#16 Megan Sabbatini

RHP
5' 5"
Senior
Olivia Sandusky

#24 Olivia Sandusky

OF
5' 10"
Senior
Tatum Schultz

#2 Tatum Schultz

UTIL
5' 6"
Junior
Morgan Kurtz

#7 Morgan Kurtz

OF
5' 8"
Senior
Chloe Kaneko

#8 Chloe Kaneko

3B
5' 6"
Senior
Grace Hernandez

#18 Grace Hernandez

RHP
5' 6"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Frankie Perales

#12 Frankie Perales

5' 2"
Redshirt Junior
2B
Kailey Hill

#21 Kailey Hill

5' 8"
Senior
OF/1B
Kelly Cobb

#15 Kelly Cobb

5' 3"
Redshirt Junior
C
Megan Sabbatini

#16 Megan Sabbatini

5' 5"
Senior
RHP
Olivia Sandusky

#24 Olivia Sandusky

5' 10"
Senior
OF
Tatum Schultz

#2 Tatum Schultz

5' 6"
Junior
UTIL
Morgan Kurtz

#7 Morgan Kurtz

5' 8"
Senior
OF
Chloe Kaneko

#8 Chloe Kaneko

5' 6"
Senior
3B
Grace Hernandez

#18 Grace Hernandez

5' 6"
Junior
RHP