April 10, 2004
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Santa Clara University softball team took two Pacific Coast Softball Conference games against Loyola Marymount this afternoon at LMU Softball Field. Game scores were 6-4 and 2-1. The Broncos are now 18-22 overall, 4-4 in league action, while the Lions fall to 22-10, 5-3.
LMU was the visiting team in the second day of action between the two teams as stipulated by PCSC rules. The Lions took the early lead over the Broncos posting one run in the top of the first. The Broncos, however, responded in the bottom of the second and third innings, scoring five runs to take a 5-1 lead over the Lions.
The Broncos rally started in the bottom of the second off a single to leftfield from freshman Angela Kabanuck. Senior Rachel Sherman then reached first on a walk to place runners at first and second. Sophomore Liz Courter then singled and Kabanuck managed to score on the throwing error by the LMU shortstop. Freshman Valerie Mock recorded an RBI as she made a sacrifice bunt to the catcher and Sherman managed to cross the plate as an unearned run, giving Santa Clara a 2-1 advantage.
Santa Clara's offense continued to chip away at the Lions defense as they pushed three more runs across the plate in the bottom of the third. Two more LMU errors contributed to the Broncos three-run inning.
The Lion's made one last comeback attempt in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs off a three-run homer from LMU third baseman Danielle Kaminaka, but all other attempts by the LMU offense were shutdown by the Bronco defense.
Senior Jaime Forman-Lau took the win from the circle for the Broncos, striking out 15 LMU batters and allowing only five hits. Her record improves to 14-15. Krystal Kehr took the loss for LMU, her record falls to 4-2.
After the regulation seven innings of play in the second game of the doubleheader, the teams went into extra innings tied at one all. Santa Clara broke the tie in the bottom of the eight inning. Jenny Brown led off with a walk and promptly stole second. Off a single by junior Vanessa Werner, Brown moved to third. Linerud then reached first on LMU error, scoring Brown, the game-winning run.
Forman-Lau records the win for the Broncos and improves to 15-15. Samantha Lavino took the loss for LMU and moves to 8-3 on the season.
The Broncos will return home to Marsalli Park for a single game against fifth-ranked California at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Admission is free.
