SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After falling behind early, Santa Clara softball beat Seattle by a final of 5-4 on a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh by Geenamarie Bonilla. The Broncos are now 3-9 on the season.
Santa Clara returns to the field tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. vs. Illinois-Chicago and at 4:45 p.m. vs. Seattle.
"I just wanted to get it done for my team. We've had some tough losses this year and it feels great to get that hit for my team," said Bonilla. "It's nice to open the home season with a win like this. To come back like we did shows the team has a lot of fight and if we keep pushing like that we're going to have a good season."
"We stayed in the process and knew that we had been in that position before so we knew how to get out of it," said Santa Clara head coach Lisa Mize. "We had opportunities in the earlier innings and we didn't capitalize so we talked about that in the seventh inning."
McCall James started for Santa Clara and picked up a no-decision in 4.0-plus innings. James allowed four runs, one earned, on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Ciara Gonzales got the win in three perfect innings out of the bullpen. Bonilla was 2-3 with a home run, two runs scored, two RBI, a walk, and the game-winning hit to lead the offense. Jordan Newell was 1-2 with a home run and two RBI while Chiara Biagini was 2-4 with an RBI.
Mandy Sugita started for Seattle and picked up a no-decision in 5.0-plus innings. Sugita allowed three runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Alyssa Reuble got the loss in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen while allowing two runs. Breanna Timmons was 1-3 with a double and three RBI to lead the offense. Lisa Maulden was 1-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Seattle jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Santa Clara had come to bat. The first two batters walked and an error loaded the bases. After a strikeout, Maulden singled in a run that kept the bases loaded. Timmons came through with a two-out bases clearing double.
The Broncos got a run back in the bottom of the second when Bonilla crushed a home run with one down.
In the fourth Bonilla walked with one down and Newell came up with a homer to right center to get Santa Clara within one.
Santa Clara loaded the bases with one down in the sixth and looked like they were set to take the lead. Kimberly Goulart came in to pinch hit and the Redhawks turned an inning-ending double play to keep the score 4-3.
With one down in the bottom of the seventh, Casandra Padilla doubled to right center. After a fly out put the Broncos one out from a loss, Gianetta France worked a walk and was pinch run for by Ashley Haney. Biagini blooped a single to center that tied the game and brought up Bonilla. She smoked a ball to left that brought home the winning run.
