LOS ANGELES – Behind a seventh-inning home run from Emma Giaime, the San Diego softball program (22-28-1, 7-6 WCC) outlasted WCC leader Loyola Marymount (26-19, 11-2 WCC) 2-0, on Friday night at Smith Field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Looking to play spoiler against the first place Lions, the Toreros came to Los Angeles motivated.
• In the opening inning, Izzy Owen and Alexia Torculas each drew walks, but were stranded on the basepaths.
• Madison Earnshaw would take the circle following her standout performance on senior day against Santa Clara.
• Earnshaw opened with two hitless frames and worked around a double in the third inning to keep the game scoreless.
• The Toreros got their first hit of the game in the fourth inning with a leadoff double from Joecellia Roberts, but Lions starter Jenna Perez escaped unscathed.
• Earnshaw continued to find success in the circle, working around a runner at third base in the fourth inning and following it up with a hitless inning in the fifth.
• With the score standing at 0-0 in the seventh, the Toreros finally generated momentum.
• Arisa Tovar created the momentum with an infield single and was lifted for KJ Hopfer as a pinch runner.
• Hopfer advanced to second base on a wild pitch as Giaime entered a favorable count.
• The freshman jumped on a mistake up in the zone by Perez to launch her third home run of the season and give San Diego a 2-0 lead.
• While the Lions led off the seventh with a double, Earnshaw maintained a steely resolve.
• Earnshaw finished off the shutout with two groundouts and a strikeout to preserve a four-hitter.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• San Diego snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Lions, winning for the first time since May 13, 2017.
• The Toreros recorded their third top-100 RPI win of the season, joining their wins over San Diego State and Long Beach State.
• With a first inning walk, Owen extended her on-base streak to nine consecutive games.
• Owen is up to 133 infield assists on the season, which is the most assists in a season by a Torero since Nicky Geis (144) in 2002.
• Earnshaw (313) moved into sole possession of fifth on the Toreros all-time strikeouts list, passing Colleen Norman (311). Next up is Megan Sabbatini (322).
• Earnshaw earned her 10th win of the season, becoming the first Torero with 10 or more wins in a season since Delaney Heller in 2019.

 
UP NEXT
The Toreros will conclude their 2023 schedule with a doubleheader at Loyola Marymount, beginning with the opener on Saturday at 2 p.m., with game two to follow. The games will be streamed via the WCC Network.