SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Despite dealing with injuries to key players all season, Santa Clara softball took several strides in the right direction during the 2016 season. The Broncos accomplished several notable feats and played some of their best softball at the end of the season.

Before the season started Santa Clara's ace, Ciara Gonzales, found out she would be out for the season with a torn labrum. If that wasn't enough, sophomore centerfielder Ellie Fisher missed 22 games in the middle of the year.

When a team loses its ace things can seem dark but the Broncos had a pair step-up to fill the void. Sophomores McCall James and Micaela Vierra both carried the load in the circle at different points in the season.

Vierra pitched her best early in the season and tossed two shutouts in the first 12 games of the year, including opening the season with one against Sacramento State. She added her second on February 27 vs. Connecticut.

Vierra tossed 137 1/3 innings while pitching 12 complete games on the year. She also led the team with 71 strikeouts.

James took over the mantle of staff leader at the end of March. She saw her ERA go down in 13 of her final 16 games of the year.

James capped it off with a dominant final series of the year against Saint Mary's. She was named WCC Pitcher of the Week after tossing three complete games, including two shutouts, against the Gaels. She pitched back-to-back shutouts to start the series and seal the series win for the Broncos. They were the second and third shutouts of James' career and her first two of the year.

Santa Clara last had back-to-back shutouts once last year when Ciara Gonzales shutout Brown and James shutout Manhattan on March 21-22.

James finished the season with a team-high 166 1/3 innings pitched and 14 complete games.

Two key offensive performers were honored by the WCC for their production as senior Chiara Biagini was named First Team All-WCC and sophomore Justine Garner was honorable mention.

Biagini hit .263 on the year and was third on the team with seven doubles. She scored 12 runs and drove in nine while also blasting a pair of home runs.

Biagini shined brightest in WCC play where she batted .341 while starting all 15 games. She hit a home run and four doubles while scoring four runs and knocking in five.

Garner led the Broncos with five home runs, 21 RBIs, and 18 runs scored. She finished second with 10 doubles and 13 walks and hit .264.

In WCC action Garner hit .286 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. She added two doubles and five runs scored.

An offensive highlight was when Santa Clara clubbed three home runs, including a grand slam by Gianetta France, on April 11, in an 8-1 WCC series-clinching win vs. Pacific. The last time the Broncos hit three home runs in a game was exactly four years prior and they came against the same opponent. Santa Clara downed Pacific, 4-0, behind three homers in the second game of a doubleheader on April 11, 2012.

Showing they are true student-athletes, the Broncos had two players named to the WCC All-Academic team as well. Junior Amanda Delfino and sophomore McCall James were the two Broncos honored.

Santa Clara loses just two players, seniors Biagini and Casandra Padilla, while adding a strong group of freshmen plus the return of Gonzales to give the Broncos a deeper and more talented team for 2017. Including finishing the season on such a high note, head coach Lisa Mize and the team are looking forward to showing the rest of the WCC what Santa Clara softball is capable of.