Santa Clara Goes 1-1 On First Day Of Stanford Invitational

Santa Clara Goes 1-1 On First Day Of Stanford Invitational

March 27, 2010

Box Score vs. UCSB

Box Score vs. BYU

STANFORD, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team split its first two games of the Stanford Invitational today, defeating UC Santa Barbara, 6-2, and falling to BYU 3-2 after dueling through eight innings.

Against UC Santa Barbara, the Broncos scored two runs each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. The Gauchos tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, 2-2, but Santa Clara went on to victory with Briana Knight stealing home for the winning run.

Sophomore Kristin Welsh started everything off in the fourth with a triple that scored junior Amanda Edmonson, who had reached on a walk. Senior Emily Batt drove in Welsh on an error by the second baseman.

Keilani Jennings was credited with two RBIs after hitting a double, but was caught trying to make it to third for the third out of the inning after the runs had crossed the plate, tying the game.

In the fifth, Knight stole home and Welsh drove in her second RBI of the game, scoring sophomore Catherine Surane.

In the sixth, junior Jackie Nicora doubled to lead off the inning and sophomore Christine Prochnow got her first two RBIs of the season, hitting a single to left field that allowed Nicora to cross the plate and Picard to score on a throwing error by the left fielder.

Senior pitcher Kaitlyn Rauschnot earned her second win of the season going the complete game and only allowing six hits.

In the second game against BYU, the Broncos traded runs with the Cougars, but couldn't hold BYU in the bottom of the eighth, going on to lose, 3-2.

The Cougars went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second when Angeline Quiocho homered to left field. Santa Clara caught up in the top of the third when Knight singled to third with runners on first and second. Quick base running by senior Megan Smith allowed her to score on the play when the throw went to first.

BYU scored in the fourth on a fielder's choice, as Andrea Ramirez put the ball in play with two runners on. The Broncos chose to put out Quiocho at second base.

Prochnow singled up the middle in the top of the fifth, getting her third RBI of the day scoring senior Nicole Picard from second base.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Broncos got out of a jam after loading the bases with two errors and a walk when Quiocho was forced out at second base. Santa Clara's next turn at bat also saw a runner in scoring position, but the Broncos couldn't get Welsh home.

After both teams failed to score in the final two innings, the game went into extra innings. Prochnow was placed on second to start the eighth, but was put out on a fielder's choice. Nicora grounded out to end the inning. The Cougars sealed the game with their first at-bat of the inning as Ramirez singled to drive in Quiocho.

Rauschnot was charged with the loss after relieving junior Jenna Fong in the bottom of the fourth.

The Broncos move to 6-14 on the season and will be back in action at 9 a.m. tomorrow taking on Cal State Bakersfield at Stanford.