Feb. 14, 2010
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team moved to 0-4 on the season, falling 6-0 and 5-0 to San Jose State in a doubleheader today.
Freshman pitcher Ali Nash started her first game in the circle but did not get the outing she had hoped for. The San Jose, Calif. native looked to have things under control gaining two outs with only one on base, but ended up conceding three runs on three hits in the first inning after catcher Brittany McConnell doubled to center field and infielder Kelli Fangonilo homered to right field.
Nash's first start was further damaged by two more runs in the third off a triple, walk, and a double before she finally ceded pitching duties to senior Kaitlyn Rauschnot at the start of the fourth inning.
Rauschnot did not allow a run in her three innings pitched, but a run scored in the fourth on an error by at short stop on the fifth at bat of the inning. The defense helped Rauschnot deny any more runs as the Spartans had two left on when McConnell grounded out to Megan Smith at third base.
Santa Clara earned its first hit of the game in the fifth inning as Kristin Welsh singled through the right side to advance junior Amanda Edmonson who reached after getting hit by a pitch in the first at-bat of the inning. Edmonson was thrown out on the play and Welsh got caught trying to get to second, giving San Jose State credit for a 9-5-6 double play. Surane grounded out to end the inning.
The Broncos were shut out for five of their seven turns at bat and got their only other hit in the top of the seventh inning. Edmonson singled to third base with two outs to advance senior Emily Batt, who was walked, to second, but the Spartans sealed the game as Welsh flied out to second base.
Freshman Riley McKay also got her first collegiate start in the second game, pitching 2.0 innings against San Jose State. The Spartans got one run in the first inning, scoring a runner on a groundout to second base.
After being held hitless in the first, Santa Clara put two runners on the bags in the second when San Jose State pitcher Elyssa Fox hit Edmonson and balked on Welsh's at-bat. The Broncos were unable to score though as junior Jackie Nicora popped out for the third out.
McKay only allowed a single in the second inning, as freshman shortstop Jamie Wallis got two Spartans out and Nicora caught a fly ball in left field to make sure San Jose State wouldn't get another run.
However, the Spartans did the rest of their damage in the next inning as Sarah Taylor led the inning off with a double, an error caused Alyssa Sulay to reach and steal second, and Taylor stole home. Then Kayla Hayes sent Sulay home with the second double of the inning. Once it was 3-0 in favor of San Jose State, Rauschnot came into the game in relief of McKay.
Rauschnot had trouble immediately stopping the Spartan offense; walking her first batter and having runners advance to second and third on the next ball in play. Two consecutive singles then sent in two more runners, but on the second single, sophomore Briana Knight launched the ball from center field to Edmonson at the plate who tagged out Ursula Lopez. A ground out to second ended the inning.
Santa Clara produced three hits in its final three innings, one in each outing, from Surane, Knight, and Batt, but couldn't get anyone across the plate. The San Jose State defense played clean except for one error in the last inning, earning two double plays, picking off a runner. Fox struck out eight and only walked two. Rauschnot got the only strikeout for the Broncos.
Santa Clara returns to the diamond on February 20 to play Pacific in Stockton.