SAN DIEGO — It took nine innings, a home run, and a little bit of chaos, but San Diego (17-25, 3-6 WCC) found a way on Thursday evening at the Reggie Smith Softball Complex, walking off Hawai'i (20-18, 12-6 Big West) by a 4-3 margin to close out its 2026 non-conference schedule.
Kaitlyn Wynia put her bat on the ball in the bottom of the ninth inning for a walk-off fielder's choice in the bottom of the ninth to score pinch runner Seleny Chavez and seal the victory for the Toreros. Charlie Johnson pitched all nine innings in the circle, surrendering just three runs (two earned) while striking out four and scattering eight hits in the complete game victory.
San Diego struck first in the third inning, loading the bases with two outs on a pair of walks before Taylor Johnson delivered an RBI single to shallow left field, pushing Carly Ruiz across the plate to take an early 1-0 lead.
Hawai'i answered in the fourth with a two-run homer to left center to take a 2-1 lead. But the Toreros pulled even in the bottom of the fifth when Ruiz dashed home to score on a Hawai'i passed ball to knot the game at two runs apiece.
With the score tied going into the sixth, Hawai'i pushed across an unearned run on an RBI groundout to take a 3-2 lead. San Diego responded immediately, as Michelle Delgado crushed a solo home run down the left field line to tie the game for the second time, this time at three runs.
From there, Johnson shut the door inning after inning, and the game stayed deadlocked deep into extra innings. In the ninth, with the international tie-breaker rule in effect, Chavez was placed at second to start the inning. Natalie McCliman laid down a bunt and reached on a fielder's choice, and after Ava Rojas entered as a pinch runner, Ruiz grounded out to advance both runners into scoring position. That set the stage for Wynia, who hit a sharp grounder to short that was enough for Chavez to slide into home plate and walk it off for the Toreros, earning their first walk off of 2026, and first walk-off within the confines of the Reggie Smith Softball Complex.
The Toreros will utilize a bye-weekend this weekend before returning to action next weekend to resume conference play with a three game set against Saint Mary's at home. First pitch at the Reggie Smith Softball complex against the Gaels in the series opener on Friday evening is set for 6 PM.
