SAN DIEGO– Back in action for their final home weekend series of the season, the San Diego softball team (20-25, 4-7 WCC) faced Pacific (15-30, 4-7 WCC) for a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Reggie Smith Softball Complex. 

USD played a strong fundamental game and got a few timely hits in game one as they bested the Tigers by a 3-2 score to start the weekend. Taylor Johnson had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for her team, while McKenna Breagelmann allowed just one run across four strong innings of work. 

Game two was a slug fest between both teams as San Diego posted an eight run inning, while Pacific countered with a six run frame of their own as the Tigers emerged victorious in game two with a 10-8 victory to even the series. 

HOW IT HAPPENED SAN DIEGO 3, PACIFIC 2 

• Braegelmann got the ball to start the day and recorded a pair of strikeouts in a one, two, three opening inning to begin the game. 
• In the bottom of the first, Shawnese Hogue-Lacy was the first Torero to reach base and she walked and then stole second base before USD was held off the board to keep the game scoreless. 
• After Braegelmann posted another zero, San Diego's offense started to build another inning as Michelle Delgado led off the frame with a single and Joecellia Roberts singled with one out to put runners on the corners for USD. Sophia Pinedo would contribute a walk to load up the bases with two out but they couldn't plate the game's first run. 
• The Toreros would break through shortly after as Mikalyn Emanuelli led off the bottom of the third with a double down the right field line, and would come around to score on a great bunt hit from Johnson as USD led 1-0 through the first three innings. 
• Pacific would respond in the top of the fourth by plating a run of their own to make it one-all. 
• After scoreless frames in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, Hogue-Lacy continued her great day with an opposite field double and came around to score on an RBI double from Johnson that put USD ahead 2-1. 
• Emma Giaime took over in the circle for the Toreros for the final few innings and posted a scoreless sixth inning to maintain her team's one run advantage. 
• Cashing in a key insurance run, EJ Joyner reached on an error to start the frame while Mallory Axline pinch ran for her and reached third on an opposite field hit from Sophia Pinedo. Tele Jennings then delivered a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Axline and pushed USD ahead 3-1.
• The Tigers wouldn't go away quietly as they scored once in the seventh and got the tying and go-ahead runs on base with one out to go. Giamie came through and induced a fly ball to center field that was caught by Emanuelli for the final out as San Diego secured a 3-2 win in the first half of the doubleheader. 

HOW IT HAPPENED PACIFIC 10, SAN DIEGO 8 

• Pacific got off to a quick start in game two as they plated single runs in the first and second innings to take an early 2-0 lead.
• San Diego responded with their biggest offensive frame of the year in the bottom of the second as they sent 12 hitters to the plate and scored eight times. Johnson got the inning started with a solo home run, Jennings contributed a two-run single to give USD the lead. Joyner would go on to double home Jennings and Pinedo would score Joyner on a base hit of her own that made it 5-2. 
• Johnson would step back up to the plate for her second plate appearance of the inning as she smoked a double to right center that plated a pair of runs to give San Diego the 8-2 lead. 
• The Tigers would respond in the top of the third as they would score six times to even the score at eight-all heading into the middle innings.
• Starting the bottom of the third, Jennings recorded her second hit of the game with a base hit up the middle but the Toreros couldn't plate a run as the game remained tied. 
• Both teams were held off the board in the fourth and fifth innings as Kelsey Tadlock was fantastic pitching the middle innings for her squad keeping the game level. 
• Pacific scored once in the sixth inning to re-gain the lead and followed that with another tally in the top of the seventh to hold a 10-8 lead. 
• In the bottom of the seventh, Johnson began the inning with a base hit up the middle but that would be all the Toreros could muster as the Tigers took game two by a 10-8 final score on Saturday night. 

TORERO TIDBITS

• Johnson had a fantastic afternoon against Pacific as she went a combined 5-for-7 with a home run, double five RBI a run scored against both games of the doubleheader. 
• Braegelmann turned in a strong outing in the circle in game one as she threw four innings of one run ball while recording a pair of strikeouts in the game. 
• Delgado turned in a pair of multi-hit games and made a few great defensive plays on third base to begin the series with Pacific. 
• Tadlock turned in a nice outing in relief in game two of the series as she went four innings and allowed just one earned run and recorded five strikeouts against the Tigers. 
• Jennings played a key role in both games against Pacific as she went a combined 2-for-4 with a key sacrifice fly that helped USD take the series opener. 

NEXT UP
The Toreros now look ahead to their final home game of the regular season as they will take on Pacific on Sunday, April 26 at noon. Sunday afternoon's game will serve as Senior Day for the program as USD will honor six student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to our program. The ceremony will begin approximately 10 minutes following the conclusion of the game. Live video, live statistics and ticket links for tomorrow's game can be found via the team's website.