SAN DIEGO– Playing in San Diego for just the second time this season, the San Diego softball team (12-16, 0-0 WCC) started their weekend strong by earning a 5-0 victory over Montana (5-19, 0-0) on Saturday evening at Del Norte High School.
Kelsey Tadlock picked up where she left off after earning the WCC pitcher of the week award as she tossed six scoreless innings against the Grizzlies.
Getting the start behind the plate and helping lead the shutout, Shawnese Hogue-Lacy also drove a ball over the center field wall for a huge two-run home run to help put the game out of reach.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Tadlock was able to navigate some early traffic as she walked the first hitter she faced and then set down the next three batters in order to put up a zero in the opening frame.
- Following a scoreless first, Tadlock got back to work and stranded a lead off double from the Grizzlies as her team was due to hit in a scoreless game.
- Alyssa Hernandez kick started San Diego's offense on Saturday as she grounded a two out single to left field but was left on base as it was a scoreless game through two frames at Del Norte.
- After Tadlock stranded two runners in the top of the third, USD's bats showed tremendous patience as Mikalyn Emanuelli and Kaitlyn Wynia worked back-to-back walks to turn over the lineup.
- With one out in the inning, Michelle Delgado got the job done with an RBI ground out that scored Emanuelli and gave the Toreros an early 1-0 lead.
- In the fourth, Tadlock worked around an error as she recorded her third strikeout of the game to put up another zero as her team enjoyed a one run lead.
- Adding on to their run total, Hernandez was hit by a pitch with one out in the inning and she came around to score on an RBI single from Emanuelli to make it 2-0 San Diego.
- In the bottom of the fifth, Carly Ruiz led off the inning with a four pitch walk and would come around to score on Hogue-Lacy's two-run homer to center field that extended USD's lead to 4-0.
- Tadlock continued to excel in her final inning of work recording a pair of strikeouts to wrap up her eighth scoreless outing of the season so far as her team still led by four.
- Tacking on insurance runs late, the Toreros got a lead off hit from Joecellia Roberts who was pinch run for by Emily Taylor. Kaitlyn Wynia then drove a one out base hit back up the middle to give San Diego a 5-0 lead.
- Taking over in the circle for the final inning, Kaitlyn Bartlow induced a pop out to shortstop as the Toreros picked up a 5-0 victory on Saturday night.
TORERO TIDBITS
- Tadlock was tremendous in the circle all night as she threw six scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and striking out seven Grizzlies in the first game of the season.
- Hogue-Lacy went 1-for-3 at the plate with her second home run of the season as she drove in a pair of runs and caught all seven innings of Saturday's shut out.
- Delgado continued her strong season by going 1-for-3 with an RBI on Saturday evening.
- Emanuelli reached base twice out of the eight spot in the order as she went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI against Montana.
- Wynia made a strong return to the team's starting lineup as she went 1-for-2 with an RBI single and a base on balls hitting ninth in the Toreros' batting order.
POST GAME WITH THE TOREROS
NEXT UP
San Diego now continues their series with Montana tomorrow morning for a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. with game two scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. Both games on Sunday against the Grizzlies will take place at Del Norte High School in North County. Admission is free and open to the public, however seating is limited and fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs with them. There will not be a broadcast for either of Sunday's games, but a live statistics link can be found on the team's website.
