SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team split a doubleheader with San Diego on the final day of the Broncos 2010 season, defeating the Toreros, 5-1, in the first game and falling, 4-1, in the second game.
The first game was a stalemate until the fourth inning when senior Megan Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring senior Emily Batt, who had reached on an error in the first at-bat of the bottom of the fourth.
Santa Clara extended it to a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs while there were two outs on the board. The first run came when sophomore Kristin Welsh reached on an error by the second baseman, scoring Batt. The second run came when sophomore Briana Knight singled through the left side to score junior Jackie Nicora.
San Diego chipped one run off in the top of the sixth, scoring on an illegal pitch by freshman Ali Nash. Nash, who had earned two outs, was replaced by junior Jenna Fong to finish off the inning.
In the sixth, the Broncos put the game even further out of reach. Nicora singled up the middle and earned two RBIs with two outs on the board, but the Toreros prevented any further runs by getting the final out on the next play.
Senior Kaitlyn Rauschnot came in for Fong to finish out the game in the circle. Rauschnot and the Santa Clara defense knocked down San Diego in order with three-straight ground outs to win the game. Nash, who pitched 5.2 innings, earned her fourth victory of the year.
In the second game, the first run was scored again in the fourth inning, but this time by the Toreros. Carey Casciola singled up the middle to score Jennifer Ellenbeck for the unearned run.
The second game continued to mirror the first, as San Diego took a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning, scoring twice on four hits. The two runs were driven in by Taylor Hensley with a single up the middle.
The Broncos cut the lead to two runs in the bottom of the fifth with Welsh's RBI-single scoring Nicora.
In the seventh inning, the Toreros scored the final run of the game when Hensley sailed the ball over the fence for a solo home run.
Rauschnot pitched the whole game, her final contest for Santa Clara, striking out three.
With the split, the Broncos finish the season at 10-35 overall and 2-18 in PCSC play.