March 21, 2015 Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The USD softball team won two extra-inning games walk-off style after their opponents committed critical errors Saturday. In game one, Paige von Sprecken tossed ten scoreless innings, allowing just two hits as USD won 1-0 after the Harvard shortstop dropped an infield pop-up. In game two, USD scored three unearned runs to knock off Columbia 3-2 after their leftfielder dropped a fly ball in the eighth inning. USD has now won six games in a row and improved to a season-high seven games above .500 (21-14).
Despite game one going ten innings, Harvard and USD combined for just six total hits. Von Sprecken didn't walk a single batter all game and retired 18 of the first 19 batters she faced.
With the international tiebreaker in effect in the tenth inning, Harvard threatened to take the lead when they put a runner on third with no outs. However, von Sprecken retired the next three batters to preserve the tie.
In the bottom of the tenth, von Sprecken laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Tatum Schultz to third base. Danielle Mavridis popped up to the shortstop, who misplayed the ball allowing the winning run to cross the plate.
Von Sprecken, who allowed just two hits, retired nine straight batters at three different times in the game to earn her 14th victory.
In game two, Columbia was the first to score, plating a run on a RBI single in the third. USD took the lead in the fifth with a pair of unearned runs. After the first two Toreros were retired, von Sprecken singled to left. Mavridis then reached on a pop-up when the Lions' first baseman and catcher collided, allowing the ball to drop and von Sprecken to advance to third. Olivia Sandusky singled to bring home von Sprecken. Sandusky then stole second (her third of the day), and Mavridis came home to score on the throw, giving USD a 2-1 lead.
After walking the leadoff batter in the seventh, Coach McElvain replaced Grace Hernandez with von Sprecken. The lead runner was sacrificed to second on a bunt and then advanced to third on an infield single. The Lions would tie it at two with a RBI groundout.
In the bottom of the eighth, USD put together a two-out rally. After Kailey Hill singled she was pinch-run for by Kyle McNutt, who advanced to second when Mary Grabowski was hit by a pitch. Chloe Kaneko hit a fly ball down the left field line, which was bobbled allowing McNutt to score the winning run giving USD two wins via a walk-off error.
Von Sprecken earned her 15th win after pitching two innings or scoreless relief. Hernandez took the no-decision after giving up two runs in six innings while striking out seven. USD pitchers have now given up just eight runs in the past eight games.
USD will wrap up non-conference play with a doubleheader at UC Santa Barbara on Monday the 31st.
