March 4, 2006
Los Angeles, Calif. - After going eight innings with Cal Poly only to lose 9-8 in the first game of a doubleheader at the Stacy Winsberg Tournament, the Santa Clara softball team bounced back to score a 7-3 victory in the second contest of the day. Leading the Bronco offense for the two-game effort was a trio of players, as Jenny Brown, Ashley Blier, and Jessica Clee totaled three hits in the two contests. Clee and Brown also hit their third and second homeruns of the season, respectively in the split games.
To open up the game in the top of the first inning, Santa Clara scored five runs to set the tone of the afternoon. Brown got the offense going as she belted a two-run homerun to start the scoring spree. While the Broncos were able to add one run each in the second, third, and fourth innings, the Mustangs scored a combined eight runs to tie up the game at 8-8. The score remained the same through regulation and an eighth inning had to be played to determine a winner. Santa Clara was unable to capitalize on having a runner at second base to start off the inning despite having multiple chances to score the winning run. With runners at second and third with two outs, Blier grounded out to third base to end the Bronco threat. Cal Poly managed to get a run off of a single to end the game. Pitcher Liz Courter (0-2) picked up her second loss of the year after striking out two batters, while Robyn Kontra went the distance and fanned five batters in the process.
In the second game, the score remained tied at 0-0 until a big second inning gave Santa Clara a commanding 6-0 lead. In that inning, the Broncos scattered four hits, highlighted by a three-run homerun courtesy of Clee. However, the Mustangs chipped away at their deficit, scoring two runs in the third and another in the fourth. However, an insurance run was added in the bottom of the fourth inning to ensure that Jerrica Castagno (4-4) would pick up her fourth win of the season. Castagno pitched the entire seven innings, striking out four batters. Jenna Maiden (2-6) took the loss for the Mustangs, as she gave up a total of seven hits to the Broncos.
Santa Clara improves its record to 7-9 on the year and concludes play at the Stacy Winsberg Tournament against host and No. 3 UCLA tomorrow afternoon at Easton Stadium in a doubleheader. Game time is set for 3 and 5:30 p.m., respectively.
