SAN DIEGO, Calif. – On the first day of the San Diego Classic, Santa Clara softball topped Western Carolina by a final of 9-7 and fell to Utah State 8-1. The Broncos are now 6-18 on the season.
Santa Clara returns to the field tomorrow, Sat., March 14 at 4:30 p.m. vs. Harvard and at 7 p.m. vs. San Diego State.
Game 1
Ciara Gonzales (6-7) started for Santa Clara and picked up a win in 6.1 innings. Gonzales allowed seven runs on 12 hits with one walk and two strikeouts. McCall James got her first collegiate save with 0.2 innings out of the bullpen. Breezy Bernard was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the offense. Geenamarie Bonilla was 1-3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored, while Ellie Fisher was 1-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI.
Courtney Buchanan (0-5) started for Western Carolina and picked up a loss in 6.1 innings. Buchanan allowed nine runs, five earned, on seven hits with 12 walks and six strikeouts. Crystal Cry was 3-4 with two solo home runs to lead the offense. Taylor Sigmon was 2-4 with four RBI while Abigail Daniels was 2-3 with a run scored.
Fisher started the top of the first with a walk and a stolen base. Casandra Padilla followed with a walk, and after two were retired, Gianetta France was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fisher would come in on a passed ball to give Santa Clara the early 1-0 lead.
A two-out rally in the second got the Broncos another run. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases and Bernard took the third walk of the inning to make it 2-0.
Cyr homered with one out in the bottom of the second to cut the Santa Clara lead in half.
Chiara Biagini started the third with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt. After a fielder's choice for the second out, Ashley Haney singled to right to bring in the third Santa Clara run of the day.
Western Carolina tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third. Amber Kimrey tripled down the right field line to start the inning and a hit by pitch and fielder's choice put runners on second and third with one down. Sigmon singled in both runs to make it a 3-3 game.
With the game still tied at three in the bottom of the sixth, Cry crushed her second homer of the game to put the Catamounts on top for the first time. After an infield single and an error, Gonzales got out of the inning with the Broncos trailing by just one.
Bonilla led off the seventh by getting hit by a pitch to put the trying run on for the Broncos. Jenna Krummen and Haney followed with back-to-back walks that loaded the bases. Fisher tied the game with an infield single to third that kept the bases loaded. Padilla put the Broncos back on top with an RBI single to right but the first out was recorded at the plate on a throw from the outfield. After a single by Bernard loaded the bases again France reached on an error that allowed another run to come across. Biagini kept the line moving with an RBI single to left that ended the day for Buchanan. Sigmon came in to pitch to pinch hitter Justine Garner who went down swinging for the second out. Bonilla singled in a run in her second plate appearance of the inning to make it 8-4. Another Catamounts error, this one by the third baseman, let the six Santa Clara run of the inning cross home plate before a groundout finally ended the inning with Santa Clara on top 9-4.
A lead off single and one out double put two runners in scoring position for Western Carolina in the bottom of the seventh. Sigmon singled down the left field line to bring in two runs and advanced to second on the throw to the plate. She would steal third and score on a single to left by Courtney Price that ended the day for Gonzales. James got the final two batters to close out the win.
Game 2
James (0-4) started for Santa Clara and picked up a loss in 5.0 innings. James allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Biagini was 2-3 with an RBI to lead the offense.
Noelle Johnson (5-5) started for Utah State and picked up a win in the complete game. Johnson allowed one run on six hits with eight strikeouts. Hailey Froton was 2-4 with three RBI to lead the offense. Alleyah Armendariz was 2-4 with a home run and two RBI while Nicole Arata was 3-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
The Aggies scored three runs in the third to take a lead they would never give up.
In the bottom of the fourth Santa Clara got their lone run of the game. Bernard led off with a double to center and Taylor Bojorquez pinch ran. Two batters later Biagini singled to center to knock in the run.
Utah State would score four more runs in the six and one in the seventh off of Micaela Vierra to get up 8-1. Johnson struck out the side in the seventh to close out the win.
