SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Diego softball program (16-37, 4-9 WCC) took an early lead but could not hold on, despite a gem in the circle by Courtney Rose, falling 2-1 in eight innings to Santa Clara (29-21, 8-5 WCC) on Thursday evening at the Santa Clara Softball Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – SANTA CLARA 2, SAN DIEGO 1 (F/8)

• Rose took the circle for the Toreros on a warm evening and did not miss a beat from the start, striking out four in her first two innings of the game.
• Both sides struggled to generate momentum on the offensive end, until the fourth inning when the Toreros broke through.
• Amanda Limon led off the inning with a single and stole second base, before Carly Ruiz walked, and Taylor Johnson drew a hit-by-pitch to load the bases.
• Joecellia Roberts drove in the game's opening run with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
• Rose continued to shine and danced around a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the fourth inning to maintain the lead.
• Santa Clara finally struck for a run in the sixth inning with an RBI double, but Rose got an emphatic punch out to end the inning and keep the game level at 1-1 at the end of six innings.
• After getting one out in the seventh, Rose gave way to Kelsey Tadlock, who generated a line out and then a big strikeout to force extra innings.
• The Toreros were not able to generate any offense in the eighth inning and the Broncos would take advantage in their half with an RBI single to secure the win.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• Johnson extended her on-base streak to 15 consecutive games in the loss, which is now the longest streak by a Torero this season.
• Rose (454.0 IP) passed Amy Lopez for eighth on the Toreros all-time innings pitched list. Next up is Madison Earnshaw (492.0 IP) in seventh.

 
NEXT UP

• The Toreros will continue their four-game series with Santa Clara, facing the Broncos at 2:30 p.m., and 5 p.m., tomorrow in Santa Clara, Calif.

 
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