SACRAMENTO — San Diego Softball (13-16, 0-0 WCC) closed out non-conference play on a high note Sunday morning at Shea Stadium, rallying for two runs in the top of the eighth inning to beat Sacramento State (20-11, 0-0 Big Sky) by a 3-2 margin and take the series finale.

It was a pitcher's duel from the opening pitch, as USD starter Kelsey Tadlock matched the Sacramento State starter zero for zero through five innings, keeping the Hornets off the board and giving the Toreros every opportunity to get on the board first.

San Diego was the first to break the deadlock in the sixth inning when Mallory Axline knocked a lead off single. Taylor Johnson then moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt before Kaylee Oh delivered an RBI single to center field that scored Axline and gave USD a 1-0 lead. 

Sacramento State tied it at one run apiece in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Tadlock re-entered the game in relief with the bases loaded and limited the damage to just one run, escaping the inning with the game knotted at one.

The Toreros wasted no time responding in the top of the eighth as Oh — who finished 3-for-4 on the afternoon — knocked a two-out single and worked her way into scoring position on an error. Still with two outs, Shawnese Hogue-Lacy then followed suit with an RBI double to left center that plated Oh and put San Diego back in front at 2-1. Hailey Mulligan continued the two-out rally by stepping in and sending an RBI double to center on the first pitch she saw, plating Hogue-Lacy and pushing the lead to 3-1, adding a much needed insurance run.

Sacramento State pulled within one in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single, but Tadlock buckled down and got the final outs to seal the victory — stranding the tying run at third to end the threat. Tadlock earned the win, finishing with 5.2 innings pitched and four strikeouts, with Kaitlyn Bartlow delivering 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Oh led the way offensively with three hits and an RBI, while Hogue-Lacy and Mulligan each delivered clutch run-scoring doubles in the decisive eighth. 

The Toreros will be back in action on Friday when they travel to Corvallis, Oregon to take on the Oregon State Beavers (12-22, 0-0 WCC) as they begin West Coast Conference play. First pitch at Kelly Field in the series opener on Friday is set for 6 p.m