DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
San Diego
Softball Comes Up Short in San Diego
3/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
SAN DIEGO - Nine innings did not do the trick for DePaul softball on Tuesday afternoon as the squad fell 4-3 to San Diego at the USD Softball Complex.
DePaul (13-12) outhit San Diego (12-12) 13-9 with five Blue Demons registering multiple hits. Micah Fitzgerald led all with three hits at the plate. Nicole Pihl finished 2-for-5 with two runs and a RBI.
Kennedy Garcia suffered the loss in the circle. She replaced Missy Zoch halfway through the sixth inning with the score tied 3-3. Garcia struck out one and allowed one earned run on two hits out of the 11 batters she faced.
Zoch allowed three earned run on seven hits. She struck out six and walked two of the 27 batters she faced.
Lauren Berriatua earned the win for the Toreros. She replaced Delany Heller in the circle after four innings.
The Blue Demons got on board first in the top of the third. With two outs and Haydn Christensen on third and Nicole Pihl first, Megan Leyva notched a RBI single to right field to score Christensen. Pihl scored the second run right after off a single from Morgan Greenwood.
A solo home run from Pihl in the top of the fifth put DePaul up 3-0, but the Toreros responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. With bases loaded and one out, a single from Olivia Sandusky plated San Diego's first run. Zoch hit her next batter to advance everyone on base again, while the final run was scored off a sacrifice fly from Madison Casiano.
The game ended in the bottom of the ninth after Kailey Hill doubled to right center, scoring a San Diego runner from second base.
DePaul returns to action this weekend in Indianapolis to take on the defending BIG EAST Conference Champions, Butler. The Blue Demons face the Bulldogs in their first BIG EAST competition of the season March 25-26. The three-game series begins on Saturday with a doubleheader at 10 a.m. CT. On Sunday, the game will be featured on the BIG EAST Digital Network beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
