SAN DIEGO - San Diego softball (7-8) is set to cohost the San Diego Classic this weekend, featuring 14 games at the USD Softball Complex with nine NCAA Division I teams competing.
 
The Toreros will open the tournament on Thursday evening against Long Beach State at 7 p.m. (PT). 
 
Five games will be held on Friday and Saturday, followed by a three-game slate on Sunday. Sunday's 2 p.m. (PT) contest will pin the Toreros against the defending NCAA Champions, No. 1 UCLA. 
 
LAST TIME OUT

• San Diego came home after a 2-1 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic and dropped both contests of a double header to Utah.
• The Toreros kept with the Utes in a nine-inning marathon in game one after taking the lead in the bottom of the fourth off an RBI-double from Halle Kyler.
• Delaney Heller went the distance in game one to throw all nine innings and took the loss.
• Game two saw Madison Earnshaw in the circle with freshman Courtney Rose coming in relief.
• Lauren Hendrickson broke up a no hitter bid in the fifth with a single to center. The Utes secured the 8-0 victory in six innings to take the double header.

OFFENSIVE TRENDS

• In the final standings at Mary Nutter, the Toreros ranked among the crowded field's best in batting average. Over three contests, San Diego hit .352 over the weekend to rank fifth overall. The only schools ahead of San Diego were nationally ranked UCLA, Oregon and Washington. Utah secured the fourth spot hitting .373.
• Rion Simms and Sara Silveyra hit .667 on the weekend to tie three hitters for the best average of the tournament. 
• The duo also ranked among the top 10 players for on base percentage.
• The Toreros have also leaned on the small ball early this season to create scoring opportunities. 11 different players have bunted this season as the team is averaging .368 in the category.
• The Toreros have come from behind in a few games this season to win and as a team is currently carrying the best average in the sixth inning at .382
• San Diego has relied on its entire lineup to generate offense as five different players earned hits against the Utes in Monday's contests. 

ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES

• Long Beach State holds advantage in the all-time series against the Toreros at 7-3. At home, USD has struggled against the Beach with only two wins. The last victory against LBSU dates back to 2007, when the Toreros won an eight-inning thriller 8-4.
• Friday's matchup against St. John's will mark only the fourth between the two programs. The Toreros hold advantage at home 1-0. 
• Brown will visit the USD Softball Complex for the third time in program history as both meetings between the two programs have resulted in wins for San Diego. The contest marks the first meeting since 2007 when Brown took on the Toreros in a double header.
• San Diego is currently undefeated against North Dakota as Saturday's game will be the eighth meeting between the two programs.
• The Toreros will face Mount Saint Mary's for the first time in program history on Sunday.
• The defending NCAA Champions will face the Toreros in a marquee matchup on Sunday as the Bruins hold a 9-0 advantage in the all-time series. San Diego last faced UCLA as the number one ranked team in the country back in 2001.

IN TOURNAMENT PLAY

• This weekend will mark San Diego's fourth tournament appearance in the 2020 season. Thus far, the Toreros are 5-6 in tournament play.
• The San Diego Classic will mark the most games the Toreros have played in a single tournament.

FAN EXPERIENCE

• Thursday's game against Long Beach State marks Pediatric Cancer Awareness Day. The Toreros will wear gold laces to help raise awareness for Pediatric Cancer and encourage fans to donate to Go4theGoal.
• Prior to Saturday night's matchup with North Dakota, head coach Jessica Pistole is welcoming San Diego softball alumni back for Alumni Day. Full details and registration can be found here.
• Admission to the San Diego Classic is free of charge and open to the public.