Alex Riggs at UCSD
Thomas Christensen
4
Portland State PSU 4-16
6
Winner San Diego USD 9-13
Portland State PSU
4-16
4
Final
6
San Diego USD
9-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Portland State PSU 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 4 4 1
San Diego USD 0 0 0 1 1 4 X 6 7 2

W: Bartlow, Kaitlyn (5-4) L: Grace Kimball (2-9) S: Tadlock, Kelsey (3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Underclassmen Toreros Excel in Sunday Win Over Vikings

EUGENE, Ore. – Finishing their busy weekend in the Pacific Northwest, the San Diego softball team (9-13, 0-0 WCC) picked up an impressive 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Portland State (4-16, 0-0 Big Sky) on Sunday morning at Jane Sanders Stadium. 

USD received quite a few strong contributions from their underclassmen during Sunday's victory, as Alex Riggs threw three innings and allowed just one earned run as she made her first career start. 

Emily Taylor made her first collegiate start and reached base three times, while Janae Combs came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit three run home run to give USD the lead for good over the Vikings. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • With Riggs in the circle to begin the game, the Torero left-hander put together a flawless first two frames and she retired the first six hitters she faced as the game was scoreless through two innings. 
  • In the top of the third, Riggs recorded her first strikeout of the day as she got the Vikings' nine-hole hitter to go down swinging as she sat down the first nine hitters she faced. 
  • USD's half of the third began with Taylor working a lead off walk, while Hailey Mulligan recorded an infield single but neither player came around to score as the game remained scoreless after three innings of play. 
  • Portland State would plate three runs in the top of the fourth as San Diego needed to get the bats going as they trailed in the middle innings. 
  • Getting the rally started, Taylor Johnson worked a four pitch walk and then got to third base after Michelle Delgado doubled down the right field line to put USD in business. Two batters later, Tele Jennings would record a productive out with a ground out to second that plated Johnson and got the Toreros a little closer making it a 3-1 game. 
  • The Vikings would score their final run of the game in the top of the fifth on an RBI double as San Diego now trailed 4-1 with three more trips to the plate to work with. 
  • After Taylor led off the bottom of the fifth by reaching on an error, Mulligan worked another walk to set up USD with runners on the corners with one out in the inning. Alyssa Hernandez would then come through with a big RBI double to left that plated Taylor as San Diego cut their deficit back down to just a pair of runs. 
  • After Kaitlyn Bartlow put up a big zero in the top of the sixth, Joecellia Roberts led off USD's half of the sixth with a hit by a pitch and was lifted for a pinch runner in Dalia Powell. Jennings would also be plunked by the Vikings' pitcher to put a pair of Toreros on base.
  • Taylor would then record her first collegiate hit and RBI by grounding a base hit past the short stop that plated Powell and made it just a one run game. Portland State would then make a pitching change, and the Toreros would counter with having Combs pinch hit for Mikalyn Emanuelli. 
  • After working a 1-1 count, Combs took the third pitch she saw and smoked it over the left center field wall to score Taylor and Jennings as San Diego led for the first time on Sunday making the score 6-4 Toreros.
  • Entering the circle looking to slam the door, Kelsey Tadlock set down all three Portland State hitters she faced punctuated with a game-ending swinging strikeout as the Toreros picked up the 6-4 weekend as they won four of their six games they played this week. 

TORERO TIDBITS

  • Taylor was outstanding in the nine-hole for San Diego as she went 1-for-2 with a walk, RBI and run scored against Portland State on Sunday. 
  • Riggs put together a nice outing in her first collegiate start as she threw three innings and allowed just one earned run and recorded a strikeout in Eugene. 
  • Combs hit her first career home run and drove in three runs as she made the most of her lone at-bat at the Oregon Classic. 
  • Delgado turned in another multi-hit game as she went 2-for-3 with a double against Portland State. 
  • Picking up her fifth victory of the season, Bartlow threw three great innings in relief as she allowed just one run and struck out a pair of hitters as well.
  • Earning her third save of the campaign, Tadlock set down all three hitters she faced and set a pair down on strikes to wrap up a great weekend trip for San Diego. 

NEXT UP
The Toreros will now head east for a weekend in the desert as they will compete in the GCU Tournament beginning on Friday, March 7 in Phoenix. USD will begin the day by taking on New Mexico (10-11-1, 0-0 MWC) at 8:00 a.m., and will then wrap up the day against UNLV (12-6, 0-0 MWC) at 1:30 p.m. Live video and live statistic links for Friday's games can be found on the team's website.  

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