SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After a thrilling home-opening walk-off win, Santa Clara softball fell to Illinois-Chicago by a final of 2-1 and Seattle 6-4. The Broncos are now 3-11 on the season.
Santa Clara returns to the field tomorrow, Sun., Feb. 22 at 11:15 a.m. vs. Idaho State in their final game of the 20115 Santa Clara Marriott Round Robin.
Game 1
Ciara Gonzales (3-4) started for Santa Clara and picked up a loss in the complete game. Gonzales allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Casandra Padilla was 1-3 with a run scored and Gianetta France had an RBI to lead the offense.
Karissa Frazier (3-1) started for UIC and picked up a win in a complete game. Frazier allowed one unearned run on one hit with three walks and five strikeouts. P Peterson and Savannah Soppett were both 1-3 with an RBI to lead the offense.
The Broncos scored a run in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit. Ellie Fisher walked to start the inning but was erased on a fielder's choice. Chiara Biagini was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. After a groundout advanced both runners, Gianetta France reached on an error that made the score 1-0.
Laura Swan started the fourth with a single to left center and moved up on a sac bunt. A ground out put Swan at third with two down and Soppett came through with the two-out RBI to tie the game.
Dana Capocci led off the top of the fifth with a double and was lifted for a pinch runner Eleni Polites. She moved up on a ground out to second and came in on another two-out RBI hit, this one by Paige Peterson.
Neither team would score again and the Flames held on for the one-run win.
Game 2
Briana Rios (0-4) started for Santa Clara and picked up a loss in 2.0 innings. Rios allowed three runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout. Geenamarie Bonilla was 1-4 with a home run and two RBI to lead the offense. Jordan Newell was 2-3 with an RBI as well.
Mandy Sugita (3-2) started for Seattle and picked up a win in 6.0 innings. Sugita allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits with four walks and one strikeout. Bubba Morrow was 2-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI to lead the offense. Kayla Gonzales was 1-2 with a walk and two RBI.
Seattle jumped out with three runs in the first two innings. Gonzales' double with runners on second and third in the first made the score 2-0. In the second an error led to an RBI single by Paige Bouska.
Fisher walked with one out in the bottom of the third and Cassandra Padilla followed with a walk. Bonilla reached on an error by the third baseman that allowed the first Bronco run of the game to come across.
After the first out was recorded in the top of the fourth, a single and a walk put two on for the Redhawks. Morrow stepped up and blasted a three run homer to make the score 6-2.
In the seventh Biagini singled to shortstop with one down. Bonilla got Santa Clara within two with a home run to left. With two outs Justine Garner singled through the left side to bring up the tying run. Ashley Haney smoked a ball that was caught inches off the ground out third to end the game.
