Pacific's Late Rally Sinks Broncos, 5-2

Pacific's Late Rally Sinks Broncos, 5-2

March 2, 2007

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Despite holding a two-run lead heading into the late innings in the opening contest of the Bronco Stampede softball tournament Friday afternoon, the Santa Clara softball team couldn't close the door on the University of Pacific, dropping a 5-2 decision at Marsalli Park. The Tigers scored five runs over the final three innings to steal the win.

With the loss, the Broncos drop to 1-16 on the season. SCU will continue tournament action Saturday afternoon in doubleheader action, battling the UC Davis Aggies at 11 a.m. followed by a contest against the Connecticut Huskies at 1 p.m.

Angela Kabanuck starred for the Broncos Friday afternoon, going 3-for-4 from the plate with a double and a pair of singles. The senior centerfielder got the Broncos on the board right away in the first, leading things off with a double to left and scoring on Ashley Blier's two-out single.

SCU took a 2-0 lead in the fourth, as Nori Kamada's infield hit was followed by a bunt single by Nicole Picard to open the frame. After Emily Batt sacrificed the runners up a bag, Kamada scored on Maggie Godfrey's fly ball into short left field.

Kaitlyn Rauschnot, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second, wasn't so lucky in the top of the fifth for the Broncos. With two outs, she walked Pacific's Lizzie Hagen and Jen Curtier, who then advanced a bag on a wild pitch. Jerrica Castagno came on in relief at this point, but the first batter she faced, Briana Santos, drove in both runs with her only hit of the game, tying the game at 2-2.

In the sixth, the Tigers took the lead for good with an unearned run off of Castagno, who took the loss for the Broncos. With the bases loaded and two outs, Hagen reached on an error to bring in the eventual game-winning run.

Pacific tacked on two more runs in the seventh, and although Sara Overmier's walk and Kabanuck's base hit brought up the tying run to the plate, the Broncos could not capitalize.