USD Weekly Update | 2-26-18

Softball

USD softball was in Santa Barbara last week for the Gaucho Classic and came away with a 3-2 record. The tournament started with a Friday double header split against the Dayton Flyers. In the first game, the Toreros found themselves trailing 2-1 heading into the 5th inning but scored two runs during the inning, aided by a bases loaded walk to tie the  game and the go ahead RBI single from Kailey Hill. The Flyers threatened in both the sixth and seventh innings but the Toreros were able to extinguish both rallies to preserve the 3-2 win.  

In the second half of the double header, the Toreros were done in by a Dayton rally in the sixth inning and fell by the same score of 3-2. On Saturday, USD split another double header. The Toreros defeated Dayton in the morning by a score of 6-3 but lost in extra innings later in the day to the UCSB Gauchos 5-4. In the morning contest the Toreros racked up 13 hits and scored in 4 of 7 innings. Outfielder Taylor Spence and shortstop Sara Silveyra led the attack, each going 3 for 4. USD also got strong performances from their bullpen which pitched the final 3 and ⅔, giving up no runs on only four hits.

In the second game of the double header, the Toreros lost to the UCSB Gauchos 5-4. With the score tied at 3 in the top of the seventh, the Toreros scored a run to take a 4-3 lead but were unable to hold onto the lead and went on to lose in extra innings. The Toreros bounced back on Sunday however, with a 3-2 come from behind win to defeated the Gauchos and finish the Gaucho Classic with a win. The Toreros are now 9-8 and will be back home this coming weekend for the San Diego Classic.

Baseball

USD baseball went a perfect 5-0 over the past week and included a 4-0 record in the Tony Gwynn classic. These wins included victories over Michigan and Grand Canyon University. Two of the Toreros most impressive wins of the early season came on Sunday against #4 Arkansas and #23 Arizona. In the first half of a double header USD defeated the Razorbacks 7-6, spurred by a five run fifth inning that was aided by two Arkansas errors. Torero pitching struck out a total of 11 batters and five Toreros collected at least two hits.

In the afternoon game of the double header, USD got its second win over a Top 25 team with a 5-3 win over the Arizona Wildcats. Nigel Ward picked up the win by throwing two shutout innings in relief. With the Toreros trailing 1-0 heading to the 6th inning, Freshman Tora Otsuka tied the game with an RBI single, Jay Schuler gave the Toreros the lead with a sacrifice fly and Brhet Bewley RBI single gave USD an important insurance run. The Toreros would score two more in the 7th and hang on for the 5-3 win. USD has won six straight and will face KC Wiz in an exhibition on Tuesday before a four game series vs the Indiana Hoosiers.  

Women's Basketball

USD women’s basketball dropped two tough games last week to finish up their regular season. The Toreros fell to the Gonzaga Bulldogs 58-54 in Spokane, Washington on Thursday night and 49-47 to the San Francisco Dons on Saturday afternoon. In Spokane, the Toreros trailed by 10 with 4:56 to play but went on an 11-2 run late to cut the deficit to one with 58 seconds remaining. However the Toreros comeback attempt was halted as they were unable to get one more stop and Gonzaga held on for the close win. USD was led in scoring by Caroline Buhr (13 points) while Maya Hood (11 points) was the only other Torero in double figures.

On Saturday afternoon, USD honored its four seniors but were unable to send them out with a win as the Toreros struggled from the field in the loss versus San Francisco. USD shot 30% (22-73) and 0-14 from three. In her final game at Jenny Craig Pavilion, senior Maya Hood had 12 points while freshman Maya Pace had a double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds). With the Toreros trailing by three with less than 10 seconds left, Pace drove to the basket and scored to cut the USF lead to one with five seconds left.

The Toreros put the Dons at the free throw line with one second left and USF made the first free throw but missed the second. However, USD was unable to get a shot up and was defeated 49-47. The Toreros finished the regular season with a 15-14 record overall and a 8-10 record in conference. USD will now put all their attention on a WCC Tournament first round match-up with the BYU Cougars. USD went 2-0 vs BYU in the regular season. The game is this Thursday at 6pm at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Men's Basketball

USD Men’s Basketball finished off its regular season with a 1-1 record last week. On Thursday night, the Toreros battled #6 Gonzaga till the final moments in front of a national television audience ultimately falling to the first place Bulldogs 77-72. Olin Carter led the Toreros with 21 points and both Isaiah Pineiro and Isaiah Wright each had 14. After falling behind by six midway through the first half, USD would rally and took a three point lead into halftime.

The Toreros led by as much as eight in the second half and led by one with less than five minutes to go. Over the final few minutes, Gonzaga’s size was the difference as their bigs scored 10 points and hit clutch free throws down the stretch. Olin Carter hit two three pointers in the final 30 seconds but it was not enough as the Toreros were defeated in their final regular season home game.

On Saturday night in San Francisco, the Toreros came back to defeated the Dons and secured a tie for 4th place in the WCC regular season standings. USD battled foul trouble and an injury to Isaiah Wright who left the game in the first half with a head injury. Trailing by 10 at halftime, USD  went on a 14-2 run early in the second half to take a 39-38 lead. The Toreros lead by five with 8 minutes to go when USF hit back to back three pointers to take a 55-54 lead. USD did would not score against for almost 5 and a half minutes before Juwan Gray knocked down two free throws with 2:42 left to make it a 57-56 USF lead.

The teams would  trade baskets and with 40 seconds left, USF had the ball up 61-60 when Isaiah Pineiro forced a steal. Pineiro missed a layup with 14 seconds left but Gray was there for the go ahead tip in to put USD up 62-61. Gray was fouled on the tip in and hit the ensuing free throw to give the Toreros a two point lead. USD forced a turnover on the next Dons possession and Olin Carter hit one of two free throws to give the Toreros a three point win.

USD finished the regular season with an 18-12 record, the most wins the program has had since the 2013-14 season, and its first finish in the top half on the conference since 2007-08. The Toreros will now had to Las Vegas for the WCC Tournament and a Quarterfinal match-up BYU this Saturday at 1:00 pm. USD beat BYU earlier this month 75-62 in one of its most impressive performances of the season and is 5-2 against the Cougars away from Provo, Utah over the last six seasons.