March 3, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Despite an excellent performance at the plate, the Broncos dropped their opening game, 10-6, to UC Davis, before falling 3-2 to Connecticut in the afternoon of the second day of action at the Bronco Stampede at Marsalli Park in Santa Clara.
With the setbacks, the Broncos fall to 1-18 on the year and return to action Sunday to close out the Bronco Stampede. The Broncos will take on Connecticut at 11 a.m. before closing out the day with a 1 p.m. contest against UC Davis.
In Saturday's morning game, the Aggies of UC Davis struck first when Deanna Menapace singled to the shortstop, driving in Julie Stauder. With three runners left on base, Jackie Morales made the put out to end the top of the first and the Broncos went straight to work at the plate. The Broncos hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the game as Angela Kabanuck recorded her third of the year and sophomore Nori Kamada hit the first of her career to put the Broncos up 2-1.
The Aggies responded in the third with a pair of home runs off of Bronco starter Jerrica Castagno to pull ahead, as Nikki Sheldon blasted one to left center to tie the game, and three batters later, Menapace hit a two-run shot to right to give UC Davis a 4-2 lead. At this point, Lauren Passafuime relieved Castagno and got the final two outs of the inning.
The Aggies scored again in the top of the fifth when Menapace was driven in by a Mandi Salcido double, but the Broncos answered back in their half of the inning with another set of back-to-back home runs. Alyc Kalamaha drove in three runs with her first career home run to left field, followed by Ashley Blier, who cranked her first home run of the season to make it 6-5 Broncos.
The Broncos carried their lead into the seventh, but the Aggies found their own groove at the plate in the top of the inning. Passafuime was replaced by Kaitlyn Rauschnot with two on and one out, but a passed ball and a fielder's choice gave the Aggies a 7-6 lead before Sheldon cleared the bases with a double to left-center to provide the Aggies with a four-run cushion that would hold up as the Broncos were unable to score in the bottom of the inning.
In the afternoon game, the Broncos would jump out to a 1-0 lead on the UConn Huskies when Meghan Chavez hit her second home run of the year in the top of the second inning.
The Huskies scored a run of their own in the second when Jess Quan singled to drive in Holly Calcagno.
The Huskies took the lead in the third when Calcagno singled to right center to drive in two runs, giving the Huskies a 3-1 edge.
In the top of the sixth, the Broncos cut the Huskies' lead to one when Kalamaha hit her second home run of the day to left center. It wouldn't be enough though as the Huskies went on to win 3-2 after setting the Broncos down in order in the seventh.