March 22, 2009
STANFORD, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team concluded play at the Stanford Invitational with an 8-4 loss to Pacific Sunday afternoon. After being shutout by the Tigers on Friday, the Broncos, 5-21 overall, battled UOP throughout the seven inning contest. Freshman outfielder Briana Knight tallied a hit and a RBI in the game. She leads the SCU offense at the plate this season with a 27 hits, 17 RBIs, 11 doubles, three home runs and a .360 batting average.
The Broncos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With the bases loaded, senior Noelani Ho'opi'i was hit by a pitch to advance the runners and score Kristin Welsh. Santa Clara's immediate lead was short lived as Pacific scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
In the fourth, SCU got on the board with two runs. To lead off the inning, Ho'opi'i reached first by getting hit by a pitch for the second time. Two batters later, Jackie Nicora grounded out to shortstop to score Ho'opi'i. Knight rounded out the scoring run with a single up the middle to score Amanda Edmonson.
Two innings later the Broncos got on the board for a final time in the game. Edmonson doubled to left field, for her fourth two-bagger of the season. Nicora followed with a ground out to second to advance Edmonson to third. The next batter, Nicole Picard earned her first RBI of the season with a single that sent Edmonson home.
Santa Clara continues to play on the road this week, as they travel to Cal Poly for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 24. Game time is set for 2 p.m. The following day the Broncos will take on UC Santa Barbara in a doubleheader in Santa Barbara, Calif. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
