Box Score

SANTEE, Calif. â€" The USD softball team (9-19) lost to Harvard 4-1 Saturday afternoon at the Santee Sportsplex USA. The Toreros managed just four hits, left eight runners on base, and have now seven games in a row. They will look to break that streak Sunday with games against No. 24 Fresno State (11:30 a.m.) and Cal Poly.

Harvard was the first to crack the scoreboard after their clean-up hitter, Haley Davis, hit an opposite field solo home run to right with two outs in the top of the fourth. It was just Harvard's second hit of the game, and the first off Grace Hernandez.

The Toreros' struggles with runners in scoring position continued in the bottom of the fourth inning and fifth. In the fourth, USD loaded the bases with only one out, but Harvard's Morgan Groom struck out the next two Torero batters to escape the jam.

In the fifth inning, USD had runners on first and third, but couldn't bring home the tying run.

Harvard scored three insurance runs in the top of the sixth with a two-RBI single up the middle by Zoe Galindo, and a RBI fielder's choice by Giana Panariello.

The Toreros finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Olivia Sandusky led off the inning with a triple down the rightfield line, and then scored on a Harvard error. The Toreros were robbed of at least two more runs when Lauren Berriatua roped a liner to the right center gap, but the Crimson's Haley Davis made a spectacular running grab to end the inning.

Megan Sabbatini started the game, but was pulled after one-plus innings after experiencing discomfort. Grace Hernandez (3-7) was excellent for her first four innings, but ended up allowing four runs on six hits and took the loss.

The Toreros wrap up the San Diego Classic II Sunday with games against No. 24 Fresno State (11:30 a.m.) and Cal Poly (2:00 p.m.)