PHOENIX – The University of San Diego Toreros softball team kicked off their weekend Friday at the GCU Tournament in Phoenix with a doubleheader. USD faced two Mountain West Conference opponents in New Mexico and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

The San Diego (10-14) bats were stifled as 17 Toreros were retired in order at one point, en route to a 2-0 loss against New Mexico (13-11-1). This comes as junior Emma Giaime allowed one earned run in six innings of work in of her best starts of the season. 

In the second game against UNLV, San Diego was able to strike first in the opening inning with a three-run home run off the bat of Taylor Johnson for her team-leading fourth blast of the season. The three runs would be all the Toreros (13-11-1) needed, taking down the Rebels (13-7), 5-2. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: New Mexico 2, San Diego 0

• As the visitors, the Toreros were hoping to get the early momentum. Michelle Delgado and Taylor Johnson each got one-out singles to load the bases. However, the Lobos got out of the inning with a fielder's choice and a strikeout. 
• However, Emma Giaime had a solid first inning, striking out the first two Lobos before inducing a ground out to end the inning. 
• After USD went down in order in their half of the second inning, New Mexico struck first. A single and walk led to a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. After a ground out, UNM took advantage of a fielding error by Delgado to score the game's first run. 
• San Diego was unable to muster anything in the third inning, as they were retired in order for the second consecutive inning. 
• However, Giaime was able to work around a two-out single for a scoreless third inning. 
• In the fourth inning, both sides went down in order, including Giaime getting out of the inning on four pitches with three ground outs. 
• The pitching duel ensued into the sixth where Giaime faced some trouble. A wild pitch moved a New Mexico runner to third base with one out before a walk. Then a RBI single single doubled their lead to 2-0. 
• The stretch of 17 consecutive Toreros hitters to be retired came to an end when Johnson singled up the middle. 
• However, USD could not put together a seventh-inning rally as the next three hitters got out to end the game   

HOW IT HAPPENED: San Diego 5, UNLV 2

• The Toreros once again had a solid first inning but were able to take it up a notch against the Rebels. After Hailey Mulligan got on base via a hit by pitch and Carly Ruiz moved her to second, Michelle Delgado walked. 
• That set up the cleanup hitter, Taylor Johnson, who crushed a ball over the right field wall to give USD a 3-0 lead before starting pitcher Kaitlyn Bartlow could even throw a pitch. 
• However, in the bottom of the first inning, Bartlow allowed the first Rebels to get on base with a single sandwiched in between two walks to load the bases. Bartlow limited the damage to one run on a sacrifice fly before getting the final out of the inning by way of a strikeout. 
• In the second inning, Mikayln Emmanuelli reached on an error before getting into scoring position by stealing second base. The inning was extended as Ruiz reached on an error, moving Emmanuelli up 60 feet. 
• Then, Emmanuelli came around to score on an RBI single by Michelle Delgado to regain the three-run lead. 
• The Toreros' three-run lead immediately went away once again as UNLV recorded a two-out RBI single to cut USD's lead to 4-2.
• After both teams were held scoreless in the third inning, Tele Jennings led off the fourth inning with a double before the next three San Diego hitters were retired. 
• In the bottom of the fourth, Kelsey Tadlock came in for Bartlow after allowing a lead off single. 
• After allowing a walk, Tadlock got a double play on a fly out because the runner on second base left too early. Then the Toreros junior got out of the inning with a ground out. 
• In the fifth inning, Shawnese Hogue-Lacy reached on a fielder's choice, Hernandez reached on an error, the second of the inning, moving Hogue-Lacy to second with two outs before EJ Joyner walked to load the bases.
• That brought up Jennings with an opportunity to grow the lead. With a 3-2 count and everyone on the move with two outs, Jennings grounded out to first base as the score remained tied at 4-2. 
• In the bottom of the fifth, Tadlock worked around two walks to begin the inning before retiring the next three hitters for a scoreless frame. 
• Mulligan got a one-out single in the sixth before Ruiz lined into a double play to end the top of the sixth. 
• In the bottom half, Tadlock worked around a one-out walk to retire the side heading into the final frame. 
• Delgado led off the seventh with a base hit. After a walk by Hogue-Lacy, the Toreros got runners on the corner on a fielder's choice with two outs. EJ Joyner followed with an RBI single, scoring Delgado to take a 5-2 lead and some insurance. 
• Tadlock was on for her fourth inning of work in the seventh. Back-to-back walks on eight consecutive pitches led to the bases being loaded and the winning run at the plate. However, Tadlock got a strikeout and fly out to end the game. 

TORERO TIDBITS 

• Taylor Johnson had two of the team's three hits against UNM to raise her batting average to .312. 
• Emma Giaime took the loss (0-4) despite throwing six innings, while allowing four hits, two runs (one earned), two walks and striking out two. She lowered her earned run average to 4.91. 
• Johnson's first-inning three-run home run against UNLV was her team-leading, fourth blast of the season and first since having a home run in three consecutive games from February 21-28. 
• Johnson's three RBIs also put her into a tie with Alyssa Hernandez at 12. 
• Delgado went 2-for-3 to raise her batting average to a team-leading .424, which ranks fourth-best in the West Coast Conference. 
• In the circle, Bartlow got the win (6-4), working three innings, while allowing four hits, two runs (all earned), four walks and striking out three Rebels. 
• Tadlock recorded her fourth save of the season after four shutout innings, despite allowing six walks. She did not allow a hit nor a run while striking out two.  

Up Next
The Toreros will be back in action on Saturday night as they will take on GCU under the lights for a 6:30 p.m. PST first pitch from GCU Softball Stadium. Live video and live statistic links can be found on the team's website. Saturday's previously scheduled game against New Mexico has been canceled due to field conditions at Phoenix College.