Feb. 20, 2010
Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team (0-6) was left still looking for its first win after conceding a pair of games today to Pacific on the road. The Tigers took the first game 5-0 and the second 6-0.
The Broncos played Pacific to a scoreless tie through the fourth inning of the first game as freshman pitcher Ali Nash and the Santa Clara defense kept the Tigers in check. The Broncos nearly took the lead in the top of the third when sophomore Briana Knight hit a single through the left side with one out, advancing Stephanie Smith and Megan Smith who reached by walks. Megan Smith rounded third on Knight's hit but was thrown out by the left fielder before she could cross the plate. A strikeout ended the inning.
Santa Clara again got runners in scoring position in the fourth inning as senior Emily Batt's single put runners on the corners with two outs. Pacific got its third out though as Batt got caught stealing.
The Tigers got Alexa Rivera on base with a walk and Karie Wilson homered to make it 2-0 Pacific. Then two consecutive singles prompted Bronco head coach Lisa Mize to make a change in the circle, inserting senior Kaitlyn Rauschnot for Nash. Rauschnot was on the rubber for two more runs, but both were unearned.
The Tigers got their last run in the sixth, as Robin Nelson scored on a single, but Santa Clara got their final fielding out on the play by throwing out Lindsey Pierce at the plate.
The Broncos couldn't muster any offense in the top of the seventh, ending the game 5-0.
In the second game, Santa Clara went down 2-0 in the first inning. Head coach Lisa Mize made the decision to replace starting pitcher freshman Riley McKay with Nash in the beginning of the second inning and Nash walked her first batter. The defense helped her close out the inning with a double play on the first ball in play and caught a pop up to get the third out.
Pacific doubled their lead in the bottom of the third courtesy of a two-run homer by Nicole Matson. Nash exited the game and junior Jenna Fong took her place just two sequences later as the Tigers put two more on base by way of a single and a fielder's choice with a throwing error. The Tigers then loaded the bases with a sacrifice bunt, but the Bronco defense came up big to get the last two outs.
Santa Clara finally got runners in position to score in the top of the fourth, as sophomore Kristin Welsh singled through the right side with one out. Batt was walked and both her and Welsh advanced on a wild pitch. Fong was also walked, loading the bases with two outs. The Broncos were unable to score though as a pop-up to the pitcher ended the inning.
Pacific got two more unearned runs in the fourth due to a throwing error by Fong with two outs on the board but that would be it for scoring for the rest of the game. Santa Clara tallied three hits in the game with two singles credited to sophomore Catherine Surane.
The Broncos return to the field on Wednesday for a doubleheader at UC Davis with first pitch set for 1 p.m.