Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The USD Softball team (19-14) picked up two wins against Columbia Friday evening to extend their win streak to four games. Grace Hernandez and Megan Sabbatini combined for a three hit shutout in game one to help USD to a 6-0 win. In game two, Olivia Sandusky led off with an inside-the-park home run and USD went on to win 4-2.

Sandusky led off game one with a single up the middle and Morgan Kurtz sacrificed her second. Two batters later, Mary Grabowski singled to right field to bring home Sandusky.

The Toreros sent ten batters to the plate in the second, scoring five runs on six hits. USD had a pair of singles and stolen bases to lead off the inning, putting runners on second and third for Tatum Schultz, who laid down a beautiful bunt for a suicide squeeze. A defensive miscue allowed USD to score one more on a double steal, and then Morgan Kurtz hit a two-RBI double to left center. USD would score one more in the inning with a Chloe Kaneko RBI single to bring the score to 6-0.

The Lions got their first hit in the top of the fourth and eventually loaded the bases but Grace Hernandez was able to induce a groundout to escape the jam.

USD found itself in hot water in the next inning as well after Megan Sabbatini hit the first batter she faced and walked the next. After the Lions sacrificed to move the runners up, Sabbatini got the next two Lions to fly out to preserve the shutout.

Grace Hernandez (4-6) picked up the win, allowing just two hits in four innings of shutout ball. Sabbatini allowed just one hit in her three innings of scoreless relief to help USD to earn its second straight shutout.

The Toreros had an exciting start to game two. After Hernandez retired the side in the top of the first, Olivia Sandusky led off with an inside-the-park home run. Sandusky hit a line drive to right and the Lion rightfielder made a diving attempt, but the ball skipped past her all the way in to the corner and Sandusky was able to come all the way around to score. It was the fourth straight game USD has scored in the first inning.

The Lions evened the score in the top of the second. Tonia Wu hit a leadoff double in the gap and was advanced to third on a single. She scored when an errant throw went into centerfield trying to get a Lion stealing. This was the first run USD had given up in 21 innings.

The Toreros loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but couldn't come away with any runs. They loaded them again in the fourth and scored once on a Kailey Hill RBI walk, giving USD a 2-1 lead.

USD added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Danielle Mavridis roped a two-out double down the left field line to score pinch-runner Frankie Perales, putting USD up 3-1.

After the first two Lions singled in the sixth, Coach McElvain brought in Paige von Sprecken in relief. She walked the second batter she faced to load the bases and then the Lions cut into USD's lead with a single to right field.

The Toreros continued to add to their lead in the sixth inning. With runners on first and third, pinch-runner Hannah Gilliland stole second base. The throw from the Lions' catcher skipped past the shortstop and into centerfield, allowing Morgan Kurtz to score.

Grace Hernandez (5-6) got her second win of the day after allowing just one earned run in five innings. Von Sprecken pitched two innings of scoreless relief to earn her first career save.

The Toreros return to action on Saturday when they host Harvard at 11:30 a.m. and Columbia at approximately 2:00 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on TheW.tv.