SAN DIEGO – The San Diego softball program (12-18-1, 0-0 WCC) built early leads in both games and never looked back, earning a sweep of Colgate (9-17, 0-0 Patriot) and South Dakota (11-15, 0-0 Summit), on Saturday at the USD Softball Complex.
 
The Toreros earned an 8-5 win over Colgate in the opener and defeated South Dakota 6-4 in the finale.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – SAN DIEGO 8, COLGATE 5

• The Toreros jumped out to a quick start on Colgate, following their 14-2 win over them on Friday.
• Mikalyn Emanuelli hit a single and Joecellia Roberts reached, before EJ Joyner drove them both in for a 2-0 advantage in the first inning.
• San Diego broke the game open in the second inning, loading the bases on a single and two errors.
• Emanuelli drove in a run with an RBI single and set up Roberts with a 3-0 lead.
• Roberts ripped the first pitch she saw down the left field line and past a diving left fielder. Roberts would clear the bases and come all the way home for an inside-the-park grand slam to take a 7-0 lead.
• Colgate didn't go away quietly, striking for five runs of their own in the third inning, but the Toreros would lock in quickly to stop the run.
• Savannah Alarcon added some insurance with an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 8-5, before Courtney Rose entered the circle in relief.
• Rose was dominant for the remainder of the game, allowing just one hit over four innings of scoreless relief, while striking out two to secure her second save of the season.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED – SAN DIEGO 6, SOUTH DAKOTA 4

• Once again, the Toreros jumped on their opponent in the opening inning, as Emanuelli remained hot with a double and a stolen base.
• Emanuelli would come in to score on a fielding error to make it 1-0.
• After another hitless inning by Madison Earnshaw, the Toreros broke the game open in the second inning.
• Singles by Arisa Tovar and Clareese Santiago set up the Toreros, who made South Dakota pay by scoring on two more errors and extending the lead to 4-0.
• Continuing their active work on the basepaths, the Toreros executed a double steal that forced a throwing error, allowing Ashley Daugherty to score.
• KJ Hopfer extended the lead to 6-0 shortly thereafter with an RBI double.
• While the Coyotes slowly chipped away at the lead, Earnshaw maintained her composure throughout the game, despite a pair of Torero errors.
• The redshirt senior polished off an 89-pitch complete game in the seventh inning to secure her team-leading fifth win.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• Roberts hit the eighth grand slam in program history and the first since Santiago against Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 25, 2022.
• The Toreros finished with a season-high four doubles in the win over South Dakota.  
• Emanuelli is now on a season-high seven game hit streak and eight game on-base streak.
• Emanuelli also recorded three hits in three of her last five games, rising her batting average to .313.
• The Toreros improved to 10-2 in games where they record at least two extra-base hits.

 
UP NEXT
The Toreros will conclude their lengthy homestand with a doubleheader against St. Thomas on Wednesday at 3 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.