Stockton, Calif. - In a WCC conference doubleheader, the Pacific softball team salvaged a split with the San Diego Toreros, dropping the first contest 4-2 and taking the second 2-0. The Tigers received a dominant pitching performance from junior Dani Bonnet (11-7) in the second game, as the junior tossed the first shutout of the season for the Orange and Black. After the split, the Tigers sit at 19-25 (7-4 WCC) while San Diego sits at 22-20 (7-4 WCC).

Bonnet held San Diego's hitters off guard all afternoon, striking out two and allowing seven hits.  Jenny Lahitte (8-10) took the loss in the second game of the day, matching Bonnet in five of her six frames, while striking out three.

After both pitchers twirled scoreless frames in the first inning, San Diego threatened in the top of the second, as Olivia Sandusky and Lahitte registered back-to-back infield singles, but Bonnet recovered to end the Toreros threat.

Pacific would respond in the bottom of the second. With one out, senior Megan Foglesong drew a walk and sophomore Nicole Zapotoczny reached on a fielding error by the third baseman Chloe Kaneko. The next hitter, junior Alex Steinmehl, delivered a double into the left center field gap, scoring Foglesong. Freshman Bailey O'Mara followed with a double of her own, plating Zapotoczny and giving the Tigers a 2-0 cushion.

That cushion would be more than enough for Bonnet, who mixed pitches effectively and was able to hold San Diego's offense at bay, working out of jams as San Diego threatened in the latter stages of the game. In the top of the fourth frame, the Toreros recieved a pair of one-out singles, but would not score. Bonnet worked around singles in the fifth and sixth frames before delivering a perfect frame in the seventh to seal the victory for the Tigers.

Senior Gabby Goyette and O'Mara had two hits in the second game for the Tigers and Steinmehl added one with her aforementioned RBI double.

In the first game of the day, Pacific starter senior Tori Shepard (6-12) took a tough luck loss despite four strikeouts through six scoreless frames in which the right hander looked dominant at times. San Diego pitcher Cassidy Coleman (12-9) registered nine strikeouts in a complete game victory, allowing just two unearned runs.

The Tigers had runners in scoring position in the first, third and fourth innings, but were unable to score against Coleman, who was able to recover and make adjustments to retire the Tigers in each of the three frames.

Pacific finally came through with runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, as senior Taylor Petty drew a walk with two outs. Sophomore Melanie Habib reached on an error by the third baseman Kaneko and Foglesong delivered an RBI through the left side, scoring Petty for a 1-0 Pacific advantage.  Zapotoczny followed with a hard single to center field, plating Habib to make it a 2-0 advantage for the hosts.

Shepard delivered a shutdown inning in the sixth, getting the top of the Toreros order quickly in a perfect frame.

Shepard took the 2-0 lead into the seventh before Caitlin Rooney homered to left field to lead off the inning, cutting the Pacific advantage to 2-1.

After two quick groundouts, an errant Shepard pitch hit Danielle Mavridis and Kylie Ordos singled to shallow right field. The Toreros went to the bench, summoning game two starter Lahitte for a pinch hitting appearance, just her 17th at bat of the season. Lahitte homered on a fly ball to left field, just over the outstretched leaping attempt by Goyette, giving San Diego a sudden 4-2 lead.

Zapotoczny singled off of Coleman in the bottom of the frame and O'Mara reached on an error, but the Tigers were unable to push a run across, falling 4-2.

The Tigers will return to action tomorrow in the rubber match of this conference series, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 pm on Bill Simoni Field. The winner will gain a key standings advantage going into the final two weekends of the season.

Live video, audio and stats links will be available via PacificTigers.com.

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