Feb. 9, 2007
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Santa Clara Broncos (0-2) had a much stronger performance Friday afternoon in the second game of their doubleheader with the Sacramento State Hornets at the Mustang Classic in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Freshman Lauren Passafuime started for the Broncos and went five and a third scoreless innings in her debut before being replaced in the sixth.
It was a different game than the first. Sacramento State's battery made it extremely difficult for the Broncos, who managed only four baserunners. The Broncos consistently put the ball in play and were unlucky not to reach base more often. For the game, only two Broncos were retired on strikes.
Passafuime pitched a strong game after settling into her first collegiate start. She forced the Hornets to put the ball in play just as the Hornets had done in the first game of the series. Thanks to strong defense from third baseman Ashley Blier, the Broncos got three straight outs in the top of the 2nd, leaving Hornets at the corners. Again in the top of the 3rd, Blier got outs two and three to retire the Hornets and preserve the shutout for Passafuime.
In the top of the 6th, after Passafuime got the leadoff batter to fly out, she was replaced by Kaitlyn Rauschnot, who had a strong performance in the first game of the doubleheader. Unfortunately, two hits and walk were all the Hornets needed to get their first run on the board. Then in the top of the 7th, two singles and a double earned them two more runs and the Hornets continued to keep the Broncos off the bases in the bottom of the 7th to preserve the win.
Kayla Meeks went the distance for the Hornets and earned the victory, while Rauschnot took the loss. The Broncos (0-2), will face the Washington Huskies in a doubleheader on Saturday, February 10 beginning at 10:00 a.m.