Moraga, Calif. - Santa Clara Softball traveled to Saint Mary's this weekend, losing all four games at Cottrell Field. Game scores were 5-1, 1-0, 8-0 (5 innings) and 10-3.
Santa Clara drops to 6-34 overall, 3-9 in PCSC play. Saint Mary's improves to 16-26 overall, 8-8 in PCSC. The Broncos have a quick turnaround this week, returning to the East Bay to take on No. 9/8 California in Berkeley on Wednesday, April 17 at 3:00 p.m.
California (32-8 overall, 7-5 PAC 12), is coming off a 5-1, 10-inning thriller at No. 19/21 UCLA, avoiding the three-game series sweep with the Bruins winning the first two. The Broncos are 0-75 all-time against the Bears.
Game One: Santa Clara Falls 5-1
Santa Clara opened the four-game series drawing first blood, scoring in the top of the first to take the 1-0 lead.
With one out, freshman shortstop Casandra Padilla singled to the right side and advanced to second off Kelly Scribner getting hit by the pitch. Padilla stole third, remaining a perfect 6-6 on stolen base attempts, and scored on a passed ball.
Saint Mary's scored runs in the bottom of the third and fourth, and added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to bring the final to 5-1.
Carissa Theis worked through six innings, allowing five runs on four hits. She walked four batters while striking out five.
Game Two: Saint Mary's Wins 1-0
In the second game of the series, both teams were scoreless until Saint Mary's pushed across one run in the bottom of the sixth that would stand for the 1-0 win.
Freshman pitcher Ciara Gonzales took the loss for the Broncos, pitching six innings and allowing just one run on four hits while striking out one.
Scribner and Krista Jensen recorded the two hits for Santa Clara.
Game Three: Saint Mary's Wins 8-0 in 5 Innings
On the second day of action, Saint Mary's came out firing on all cylinders to grab the 8-0 win in just five innings. The Gaels scored one run in the bottom of the first and third, and tacked on two in the bottom of the fourth and four in the bottom of the fifth to end the game early due to the run rule.
Senior Jessica Turner pitched 3.1 innings for Santa Clara, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out two. Gonzales came on in relief in the fifth, giving up five hits and four runs.
Santa Clara notched just two hits in the game, coming from second baseman Krista Jensen and first baseman Jenna Krummen.
Game Four: Broncos Downed 10-3
In the final game of the four-game series, Santa Clara started off the game with a single from Stephanie Fisher and Padilla. Padilla was gunned down trying to steal second, which is the first time this season she has been caught in seven attempts. Scribner flied out to right field, but with Fisher on third, it was enough to give the Broncos the 1-0 lead.
Saint Mary's answered in a big way in the bottom of the first, pouring on five runs off of four hits. The Gaels added two runs in the bottom of the third.
Santa Clara scored two runs in the top of the fourth, with Scribner leading off the inning with a single. Jordan Newell moved Scribner to second with a single of her own. With one out, Jensen doubled to center field, scoring Scribner and Newell and brining the score to 7-3 in favor of Saint Mary's.
Again Saint Mary's would answer, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the scoring at 10-3.