April 21, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team was well on their way to avenging their loss to Sacramento State in game one of their doubleheader at Marsalli Park, but the Hornets put together another big inning enroute to an 8-5 victory over the Broncos to sweep Saturday's doubleheader.
Freshman Lauren Passafuime started for the Broncos and sent the Hornets down in order in the first inning, and with some help from the defense, again in the second inning.
Then in the bottom of the second, the Broncos got their bats going. Three singles loaded the bases for Nori Kamada with just one out. Kamada launched her second grand slam of the season over the fence in left field to give Santa Clara a 4-0 lead, forcing the Hornets to make a pitching change.
After two walks and then two more outs, Sacramento State got their chance to even the score, and even the score they did. After a walk and an error, a double to the gap in left center field scored two runs for the Hornets to narrow the Broncos lead to 4-2. Then, with a runner on second, Whitney Loomis blasted a two-run home run over the fence in left field to tie the game 4-4.
Two batters later, Passafuime gave up her second home run of the game, a solo shot by Kayla Meeks to give Sacramento State a 5-4 lead.
After the next batter hit a double to the gap in right center, Passafuime was lifted from the game in favor of ace Jerrica Castagno, who earned the final out of the inning with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the third inning, Santa Clara went down in order except for catcher Maggie Godfrey taking one for the team. Castagno retired the Hornets in order in the fourth and the Santa Clara tied the game. Junior Meghan Chavez doubled down the leftfield line and then Angela Kabanuck singled up the middle, knocking in Chavez from second base.
Castagno continued her dominance in the fifth inning, earning three straight outs after an error at third base by Ashley Blier. But in the top of the sixth with a runner on, Sherry Clark roped a Castagno fastball over the fence in leftcenter field to give the Hornets a 7-5 lead. Then in the top of the seventh, Loomis hit her second home run of the game, a solo shot to extend the lead to 8-5.
The Broncos went down in order in the last of the seventh, completing the sweep for the Hornets. Despite the loss, the Broncos out-hit Sacramento State 10-8, thanks to multi-hit performances by Kabanuck, Sara Overmier, and freshman Breann Netto, and Nori Kamada's four RBI performance thanks to her second grand slam of the year.
The Broncos will complete their series with the Hornets Sunday at Marsalli Park beginning at 12:00 p.m.