March 11, 2010
Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
DAVIS, Calif. - After letting the first game slip away in the eighth inning, the Santa Clara softball team thundered back in the seventh inning of the second game to shutout UC Davis in today's doubleheader against the Aggies.
The Broncos took a 3-0 lead on UC Davis in the first game, scoring one run in each of the first three innings. Sophomore Catherine Surane scored her classmate Briana Knight on the sacrifice fly for the first run, junior Jenna Fong scored senior Emily Batt with a single, and junior Amanda Edmonson hit her first triple of the season to drive in freshman Jamie Wallis.
Santa Clara let the Aggies back in the game in the bottom of the third when Megan Guzman hit a double to lead off the inning. Alex Holmes singled to left field on the next play and a throwing error on the Broncos led to UC Davis' first run and put Holmes on second. A single by Elizabeth Santana scored Holmes but the Santa Clara defense held through the rest of the inning.
The Aggies tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Guzman hit a bases-loaded single to score Marissa Araujo and threatened to win it in the seventh. The Broncos used two fielder's choices to halt the progress of the runners and got the final out of regulation on a groundout to third base with runners on the corners.
Santa Clara was sat down in order for the third time of the game in the eighth inning and Gonzales scored UC Davis' winning run on a bases-loaded single.
Senior pitcher Kaitlyn Rauschnot pitched her second complete game of the season in the loss, allowing two earned runs on 11 hits.
The second game of the afternoon was a stalemate until the final inning. The Broncos only had two hits, both singles from Edmonson and Knight, heading into the seventh.
Santa Clara saved it all until the end, scoring four runs on three hits and one error. Junior Jackie Nicora singled and Christine Prochnow reached on a throwing error by the short stop. The error also allowed the two to take an extra base, putting runners in scoring position with just one out. Senior Megan Smith was walked to load the bases and Knight struck out, putting the Broncos in a tight spot.
Then, Wallis came up huge. The rookie launched her first collegiate triple to give Santa Clara a 3-0 lead, scoring Smith, Prochnow, and Picard. Following that play, Surane hit a single to score Wallis. The Aggies finally stopped the bleeding when Edmonson lined out to second base.
Freshman pitcher Ali Nash got help from her fielders to close the game, as the Broncos caught two straight fly balls and a foul fly to give Nash her first collegiate complete-game shutout. Nash surrendered just eight hits and struck out one.
Santa Clara will be back in action tomorrow, taking on Cal State Fullerton at San Jose's PAL Stadium as part of San Jose State's South Bay Super Series. First pitch against the Titans is set for 6 p.m.