SAN DIEGO — San Diego Softball (14-18, 1-2 WCC) returns home this weekend to open up its home West Coast Conference campaign with a three game set against LMU (23-13, 1-2 WCC) at the Reggie Smith Softball Complex. 

San Diego will open the series on Thursday evening with first pitch set for 6:00 PM, before returning to the diamond Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM. The Toreros and Lions will then close out the series on Saturday at 1:00 PM.

All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Keith Demolder on the call, and live statistics available for all games on USDToreros.com.

ALL TIME SERIES AGAINST LMU
• San Diego trails Loyola Marymount 76-102 in the all-time series, with the programs having met most recently in April 2025 when the Toreros took two of three in Los Angeles.
• USD holds an even 42-42 record against the Lions in San Diego, but is 34-54 in games played in Los Angeles, and 0-6 in neutral site matchups. 
• San Diego took two of three in their most recent series at LMU last April, winning the final two games 9-0 and 6-4 after dropping the opener 14-3. 
• USD has won four of its last six matchups against the Lions, including a series win in San Diego two seasons ago in April 2024. 

LAST TIME OUT — OREGON STATE
San Diego traveled to Corvallis last weekend for its WCC opener against Oregon State at Kelly Field, opening with a Friday night game before completing the series with games on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. 

3/27 GAME ONE: The Toreros dropped their WCC opener 9-6 in a back-and-forth contest at Kelly Field. San Diego trailed by six heading into the fifth before rallying for five runs to pull within one — Mallory Axline delivered a two-run single, Taylor Johnson doubled home a run, and Sharnese Hogue-Lacy launched a two-run shot to center — but Oregon State answered with two runs in the sixth to seal the game. Kaylee Oh homered the first pitch she saw to get San Diego on the board, and Kaitlyn Bartlow and Kelsey Tadlock combined to hold the Beavers to just six hits through the remaining 5.1 frames. 

3/28 GAME TWO: Oregon State walked off San Diego 8-6 in a game that the Toreros led heading into the seventh. San Diego pulled within one in the second on RBI singles from Hailey Mulligan and Carly Ruiz, then Hogue-Lacy tied it with a solo home run in the fourth. The Toreros took the lead in the fifth when Hogue-Lacy delivered a sacrifice fly and Kaylee Oh followed with a two-run single to push it to 6-3. Oregon State loaded the bases in the seventh and walked off with a grand slam. Bartlow was sharp through six innings, keeping the Toreros in position to win deep into the contest. 

3/29 GAME THREE: San Diego closed out the series with an 8-2 win to pick up its first WCC victory of the season. Abrielle Diaz crushed a three-run homer in the second to put USD in front for good, and a five-run fourth inning — capped by a two-run double from Kaitlyn Wynia and an RBI double from Michelle Delgado — put the game out of reach. Hogue-Lacy homered for her third consecutive game. Kelsey Tadlock was strong on the mound, working 6.2 total innings on her birthday, earning her fourth win of the season. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
#1 Kaitlyn Wynia | OF | Junior | Torrance, CA | Torrance High School
The Torrance, California native leads the team in batting average (.373), hits (38), and doubles (8), batting 38-for-102 with 13 RBI, 17 runs scored, and an .864 OPS through 32 games. With just seven strikeouts in 102 at-bats, she remains the most disciplined contact hitter in the USD lineup.

Wynia announced herself immediately, going 2-for-2 in the season opener at UC Davis (Feb. 6) and following with a 3-for-4 performance with an RBI vs. Colorado State (Feb. 7). She doubled and drove in a run vs. Weber State (Feb. 12) and posted her best game of the non-conference schedule vs. Kansas City (Feb. 28), going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI. She carried that production into the USD/SDSU Co-Host Tournament, going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI in the 11-10 thriller against Princeton (Mar. 7), and hit .500 (5-for-10) across three games against Idaho State without striking out once. Most recently, she delivered a two-run double in the fourth inning of Sunday's series finale at Oregon State to push the Toreros' lead to 7-1.

Last season (2025): Hit .328 with 9 RBI in 38 games; led USD in batting average; on-base percentage of .391 ranked 23rd across the WCC.

#5 Michelle Delgado | INF | Junior | Santa Ana, CA | Segerstrom High School
The Santa Ana, California native has been one of USD's most dynamic offensive weapons, batting .302 (29-for-96) with seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 16 runs scored, and a .764 OPS through 30 games.

Delgado hit safely in six consecutive games from Feb. 8 through Feb. 19 — the longest hit streak by any Torero this season — going 10-for-18 (.556) with four extra-base hits during that stretch, including a double and a triple vs. Weber State (Feb. 12) and a home run vs. Colorado State (Feb. 13). She posted a 3-for-4 performance vs. Montana (Feb. 21) and continued her productivity into the USD/SDSU Co-Host Tournament, going 7-for-11 (.636) across three games against Notre Dame, #20/23 Grand Canyon, and Princeton — including a game-best 4-for-5 outing in the 11-10 loss to Princeton on March 7. Most recently, she capped the Oregon State series finale with an RBI double to right center in the fourth inning, extending San Diego's lead to 8-1.

Last season (2025): Posted a .318/.396/.409 slash line in 45 games; led USD in assists (84) with a .976 fielding percentage at third base.

#10 Shawnese Hogue-Lacy | C | Senior | Fairfield, CA | Vanden High School
The Fairfield, California native has been San Diego's most consistent power threat, leading the team in RBI (19) and ranking among the leaders in home runs (4), batting .247 (23-for-93) with three doubles, two triples, and a .722 OPS through 30 games.

Hogue-Lacy has been at her best in the biggest moments. She drove in a run in each of USD's first three games of the season before delivering a two-run homer vs. Kansas City (Feb. 28) — the biggest swing of the Reggie Smith Invitational. She then put together her best single-game performance of the season against Princeton (Mar. 9), going 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, and three RBI in a 6-1 Torero win. Most recently, she closed out the Oregon State series with home runs in three consecutive games — a two-run shot to center on Friday, a solo homer and sacrifice fly on Saturday, and a solo blast to left field on Sunday — finishing the series with five RBIs in three games.

#20 Mallory Axline | INF | Sophomore | San Diego, CA | Cathedral Catholic High School
The sophomore has emerged as one of USD's most reliable run producers, batting .313 (26-for-83) with two triples and 13 RBI through 27 games.

Axline delivered a three-RBI triple vs. Cal Poly (Feb. 28) and followed with a triple and an RBI vs. CSUN (Mar. 1). She carried that production into the USD/SDSU Co-Host Tournament, going 2-for-3 with an RBI against Notre Dame (Mar. 6) and 2-for-4 with two RBI against #20/23 Grand Canyon (Mar. 6). She went 2-for-3 in game one of the Idaho State doubleheader (Mar. 13) and drove in a run in game two to help fuel USD's two-out seventh-inning rally. Most recently, she delivered a two-run single in the fifth inning of the Oregon State series opener to pull San Diego within four.

#9 Kaylee Oh | OF | Junior | Murrieta, CA | Murrieta Mesa High School / Miami (OH) / Oregon State
The junior outfielder has been one of the steadiest contributors in the USD lineup, batting .279 (24-for-86) with 13 RBI, 14 runs scored, one home run, and a .678 OPS through 31 games.

Oh has consistently delivered in key spots throughout the season. She drove in a run with an RBI single vs. Weber State (Feb. 12) and followed with an RBI groundout in the win over Montana (Feb. 21). She went 2-for-3 with an RBI single against Notre Dame (Mar. 6) and delivered another RBI single in the Princeton thriller (Mar. 7). She put together her best game of the season against Sacramento State (Mar. 22), going 3-for-4 to pace the offense in the series finale. Most recently, she homered in the Oregon State series opener on Friday to get San Diego on the board, then delivered a two-run single in the fifth inning of game two on Saturday to push the Toreros' lead to 6-3.

#4 Kaitlyn Bartlow | RHP | Junior | Westlake Village, CA | Westlake High School
Bartlow has been one of the most reliable arms on the staff, posting a 4-4 record and 3.52 ERA across 18 appearances and seven starts with two saves in 65.2 innings.

She delivered a complete-game shutout vs. Montana (Feb. 21), holding the Grizzlies to three hits and striking out four, then earned the win with 6.1 innings of one-run ball vs. Kansas City (Feb. 28). She went the distance against nationally-ranked #20/23 Grand Canyon (Mar. 6) and tossed a complete game in game two of the Sacramento State doubleheader (Mar. 21), allowing three runs on five hits across six innings. Most recently, she was sharp through six innings in game two of the Oregon State series, keeping the Toreros in position to win deep into the contest.

#4 Kelsey Tadlock | LHP | Senior | San Marcos, CA | San Marcos High School
The senior lefthander has been one of the most dependable arms in the USD rotation, posting a 4-4 record and 4.68 ERA across 16 appearances and 46.1 innings, with two of her last two wins coming in her latest two starts.  

Tadlock opened the season with back-to-back wins, tossing a complete game vs. Colorado State (Feb. 7, 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K) and earning the win with 4.2 innings of one-hit ball vs. Cal Poly (Feb. 8). After a difficult mid-season stretch, she has rediscovered her form down the stretch — tossing 5.2 innings with four strikeouts to earn the win in the Sacramento State series finale (Mar. 22), then capping the Oregon State series with a dominant 6.2-inning performance on her birthday to earn her fourth win of the season. 

KELSEY TADLOCK NAMED WCC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
San Diego left handed pitcher Kelsey Tadlock was named the WCC Pitcher of the Week for March 23, 2026, the West Coast Conference announced on Monday morning.

Tadlock was at her best when it mattered most during the Toreros' series at Sacramento State,  allowing just one earned run across 6.2 innings and two appearances in the circle. The senior lefty opened the series with a scoreless inning of relief in the Saturday opener before returning to the circle Sunday to start the series finale, holding the Hornets to one run on four hits across 5.2 innings before earning the win in a 3-2 eight-inning victory that closed out non-conference play. 

This is USD's first weekly conference award since April 14, 2025, when Joecellia Roberts and McKenna Braegelmann swept the weekly awards with Player and Pitcher of the Week honors, respectively.

USD PICKED SIXTH IN 2025 WCC PRESEASON POLL
• San Diego was picked sixth in the WCC Coaches Preseason Poll the West Coast Conference announced on Wednesday afternoon as part of its 2026 Softball Preseason Honors.
• USD took home the sixth spot in the league's 2026 poll with 11 points, putting it four points ahead of Portland, which was picked seventh. San Diego placed fifth in the poll in 2025 and was tied for second in 2024.

2026 WCC SOFTBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL
1. Santa Clara - 36 points (6)
2. Saint Mary's - 31 points (1)
3. Oregon State – 22 points
4. LMU – 21 points
5. Seattle U – 19 points
6. San Diego – 11 points
7. Pacific – 7 points

2026 WCC SOFTBALL PRESEASON TEAM (POSITION PLAYERS)
• Amanda Bricker, Pacific
• Sam Buckley, Saint Mary's
• Taryn Clements, Santa Clara
• Cairah Curran, Santa Clara
• Taylor Fitch, Seattle U
• Hazyl Gray, Santa Clara
• Izzy Jamgotchian, LMU                            
• Justine Lambert, LMU
• Jada Lewis, Oregon State
• Mikee Morris, Seattle U
• Olivia Silvestre, Pacific
• Karen Spadafora, Seattle U

2026 WCC SOFTBALL PRESEASON TEAM (PITCHERS)
• Cari Ferguson, Santa Clara
• Mia Nishikawa, Saint Mary's
• Berkley Vance, Seattle U
• Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary's

PROVEN RETURNERS
#1 Kaitlyn Wynia | OF | JR | Torrance, CA | Torrance High School 
• Appeared and started in 38 of her team's games in 2025 as a sophomore
• Hit for a slash line of .328/.391/.379 with 9 RBI; led USD in batting average
• Totaled 11 multi-hit games last season, notching three in one game on three occasions 
• With more walks (11) than strikeouts on the season, her on-base percentage of .391 was third on the team and 23rd across the WCC

#14 Taylor Johnson | UT | SR | Seal Beach, CA | Los Alamitos High School 
• Appeared in 47 games and started in 45 as the team's primary first baseman in 2025
• Posted a slash line of .321/.400/.575, and led the team in slugging with a percentage of .575, aided by her seven doubles and team-leading nine home runs and 37 RBI
• Was the 2024 WCC Batting Champion and a 2024 WCC First Team selection as a sophomore in 2024

#5 Michelle Delgado | INF | JR | Santa Ana, CA | Segerstrom High School 
• Appeared and started in 45 games as the team's primary third baseman in 2025
• Posted a slash line of .318/.396/.409, and her .805 OPS was second best on the team, along with her SLG at third best and OBP at second best
• Led the team in assists with 84 and had a fielding percentage of .976 at the hot corner

#10 Shawnese Hogue-Lacy  | C/UT | SR | Fairfield, CA | Vanden High School 
• Appeared in 36 games and started in 33 as the team's primary catcher in 2025
• Broke out by posting a slash line of .313/.340/.434, boosted by six total extra base hits on the season, hitting two doubles, two triples, and two home runs, along with six RBI
• Had a fielding percentage of .975, making only four errors in 160 chances and threw out six runners attempting to steal a base 

#6 Kelsey Tadlock | LHP | SR | San Marcos, CA | San Marcos High School 
• Pitched in 33 games and started in 13 in 2025
• Threw a team leading four complete games amassing 105 innings pitched
• Struck out a team-high 87 batters while accumulating a 3.47 ERA

WORKING THE PORTAL
• San Diego picked up a pair of transfers in the portal this season from Miami (OH), and Sonoma State. 

Those players are:
#9 Kaylee Oh | OF | JR | Miami (OH) | Oregon State 
• Oh, a Murrieta, California native, heads to USD after spending her Sophomore year at Miami (OH), and her freshman season at Oregon State. 
• Oh excelled during the 2025 season competing for Miami (OH) as she started in all 61 of her team's games and was selected to the MAC All-Tournament team. 
• Providing a great spark at the top of the lineup, she posted a .307 batting average to go along with six home runs and 32 RBIs while also showcasing her speed with 17 stolen bases.
• Her time with the RedHawks featured numerous highlights including her first collegiate home run against Georgia State, 15 multi-hit games, a three-hit performance against Ball State in the MAC Tournament and a pair of hits in a victory over North Carolina in the 2025 NCAA Regionals.  

#21 Charlie Johnson | RHP | SR | Sonoma State 
• Johnson, a San Diego native who attended nearby Del Norte High School, comes to the Toreros after spending the last three seasons competing for Division II Sonoma State in the Bay Area,  where she made 94 career appearances, posting a 37-23 overall record to go along with a microscopic 1.86 ERA in 388.2 innings.
• During her time at Sonoma State she earned five CCAA Pitcher of the Week awards and was a First Team All-Region and All-Conference honoree during the 2025 season.
• Not afraid to pitch deep into games, Johnson threw 23 complete games in 29 starts during her junior season at Sonoma State. Pitching in relief in her final appearance this last season, Johnson kept her team in the game by throwing 5.1 innings and allowing just one unearned run against Concordia. 

RISING TOREROS
• Head coach MJ Knighten brought in six first-year players as part of USD's 2025 freshman class.

Those players are:
#7 Liliana Esparza | UT | Las Vegas, NV | Green Valley High School 
• Played for head coach AJ Coleman and Green Valley High School and for Ken Briggs on the BSC Bengals 18U club team
• Two-time Nevada 5A state champion (2021 and 2022)
• Also played basketball, soccer, volleyball and flag football

#12 Seleny Chavez | UT | Nipomo, CA | St. Joseph High School
• Played for head coach Anthony Razo at St. Joseph High School and for Rob Weil on the Wildcats Fastpitch club team
• 2024 All CSO First Team selection, 2024 CIF Central Section champions
• Grew up in a small farming community and was raised and shaped by the legacy of her parents and grandparents as strawberry farmers 

#22 Adiah Fountain | C/UT | Northridge, CA | Notre Dame High School
• Played for head coach Justin Siegel at Notre Dame High School and for Ray Gurule at the BSC Bengals Gurule club team
• Clubbed 34 home runs during her high school career and posted a 1.75 catcher pop time

#23 Analesse "Peanut" Garcia | RHP | Chula Vista, CA | Mater Dei HS
• Played for head coach Liz Centrullo at Mater Dei High School and for Bobby Labs on the Breakers Lab 18U Gold Bobby club team
• Her last two years of high school she posted a 14-3 record a 1.58 ERA and 99 strikeouts
• Is related to San Diego Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla

#25 Ava Rojas | OF | Benicia, CA | Benicia High School
• Played for head coach Kristen Grubbs at Benicia HS and for the Lady Magic club team under head coach Steve Walling
• Four year varsity player at Benicia HS and has played for her travel ball team since she was seven years old
• Has two older cousins, Madison and Aysle Rojas who played softball at UC Davis

#26 Abrielle Diaz | INF | Riverside, CA | Grand Terrace High School 
• Competed at Grand Terrace High School and for the California Lite 18U club team
• Four year varsity softball player and served as team captain her senior year
• Posted a .431 batting average her junior season

HOMETOWN HEROES
• Eight players on the 2026 USD roster hail from the San Diego area and attended local high schools.

Those players are:
• INF Hailey Mulligan | San Diego, CA | El Capitan High School
• LHP Kelsey Tadlock | San Marcos, CA | San Marcos High School
• LHP Alex Riggs | San Diego, CA | Academy of Our Lady of Peace
• OF Dalia Powell | San Diego, CA | University City High School
• UT Mallory Axline | San Diego, CA | Cathedral Catholic High School
• RHP Charlie Johnson | San Diego, CA | Del Norte High School
• RHP Analesse "Peanut" Garcia | Chula Vista, CA | Mater Dei High School
• P/UT Emma Giaime | San Diego, CA | Del Norte High School

2026 SCHEDULE NOTES:
• 51 games
• 28 home games
• 22 away games
• 18 WCC games
• 33 non-conference games
• 9 home WCC games
• 9 away WCC games
• 19 home non-conference games
• 6 away non-conference games
• 8 neutral-site games
• 43 games in California
• 28 games in San Diego 
• 5 games in Arizona
• 3 games in Oregon