Box Score

SANTEE, Calif. - The USD Softball team (15-14) split a pair of games in the second day of the San Diego Classic II at the Santee Sportsplex on Saturday. Paige von Sprecken struck out a career-high 10 batters as USD beat Utah Valley 6-1 in the first game, but USD fell to Weber State 2-1 in game two, stranding ten runners on base. Freshman sensation Kailey Hill hit a home run in each game to give her eight on the season, which set a USD freshman record.

In game one, the Toreros took advantage of a Utah Valley error to get their first run in the first inning. With the bases loaded, Chloe Kaneko hit a tapper back to the pitcher, who bobbled it, allowing Kelsey Borello to score.

Two more Wolverine errors led to two USD runs in the second. Morgan Kurtz scored from third on a wild pitch and Perales scored after Sandusky reached on an error by the Utah Valley third baseman to give USD a 3-0 lead. The Wolverines ended with four errors in the game.

The Torero bats were held quiet until the fifth inning when Kailey Hill led off with a solo home run to centerfield. USD then quickly loaded the bases with back-to-back singles and a walk. They would score one on a von Sprecken fielder's choice and another on a Perales infield single, bringing the score to 6-0.

Utah Valley got their first run on a solo home run to left in the sixth inning. Kelsey Borello nearly made a home-run saving catch, diving into the collapsible fence in the process, but the ball was just out of her reach.

Von Sprecken (11-5) was dominant in the circle, allowing only the solo home run and four hits while striking out a career-high 10 batters.

In game two, the Wildcats played small ball to take a 1-0 lead in the first. After their leadoff batter singled, she was sacrificed to second and then scored a RBI single up the middle.

The Toreros had opportunities in the second and third inning, but couldn't come through with the clutch hit.

USD finally cracked the scoreboard in the fifth when Kailey Hill struck again. She crushed a two-out bomb that easily sailed over left field fence to knot it at 1-1. It was Hill's fifth home run in the past seven games and her eighth on the season, which sets a USD freshman record. Taylor Hensley set the previous record of seven in 2009.

The Wildcats manufactured the go-ahead run in the sixth. They led off with an infield single, and sacrificed the runner to second. Two batters later, Sara Hingsberger, singled to right field to drive home a run and give Weber State a 2-1 lead.

The first two Toreros were retired in the seventh inning, but then Sandusky singled and Hill walked to bring up Chloe Kaneko. She launched a fastball down the left field line, but the Wildcats were able to make a play just in front of the wall to end the game.

Grace Hernandez (3-6) kept the ball on the ground all day and make some fine defensive plays herself, but suffered another unlucky loss. She gave up two runs on six hits while striking out two.

The Toreros wrap up the San Diego Classic II on Sunday with a 12:30 p.m. game against UConn at the Santee Sportsplex.