SANTA CLARA, Calif. – On a cold Bay Area day, Santa Clara softball closed-out the Bronco Classic with a 3-1 win over Seattle and a 7-2 loss to Montana.
Game 1
Montana (4-4) had its offense going from the first inning. The Grizzlies loaded the bases in each of the first three innings and finished the game with nine runners left on base.
The first two batters in the top of the second were hit by pitches and moved up on a sacrifice bunt. After a foul out, Sydney Stites came through with a two out, two run single to make it 2-0.
With two down and the bases loaded in the top of the third, Stites blasted a grand slam over the wall in left center to put the Grizzlies up 6-0.
Stites finished the game 3-4 with a run scored and six RBIs. Delene Colburn was 2-4 and Alex Wardlow was 1-3 with two runs scored.
Ciara Gonzales (0-1) picked up the loss in 2 innings in her first start in two years. She allowed two runs on four hits with a pair of walks.
Santa Clara (1-4) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs. Eleni Spirakis knocked in the first run with a single to left and Kelsie Barnard made it 7-2 with an RBI groundout.
Spirakis went 2-3 with an RBI and Geenamarie Bonilla and Morgan Modesto each added a hit and an RBI.
Hailey Young (1-0) started for Montana and picked up the win in 5 1/3 innings. She allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Game 2
Despite allowing traffic on the bases all game, Santa Clara (2-4) was able to pitch around danger and come away with a 3-1 win over Seattle (2-7) in the final game of the Bronco Classic Sunday afternoon.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the scored tied at 1-all, Fisher and Spirakis hit back-to-back singles with one out. After a groundout moved both into scoring position, Modesto came through with a clutch two-run double to right center that put Santa Clara on top 3-1.
"It was great to see Morgan come through in the clutch for us," Santa Clara head coach Lisa Mie said. "That's what we've been missing so far this season. We didn't get a ton of runners on base but we were able to take advantage when we did."
Modesto finished 1-3 with a double and two RBIs. Fisher was 2-3 with two runs scored and created the first run of the game with her legs when she bunted for a hit and scored on an error in the fourth.
The Redhawks left eight runners on base and were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Paige Bouska and Jessica Flanagan each had two hits.
Micaela Vierra (1-2) tossed a complete game and allowed just an unearned run on five hits for her first win of the year. She struck out five and walked four.
"Micaela was great for us today," Mize said. "She stepped up and was able to pitch around some traffic. She never broke and allowed us to stay in the game long enough to come up with the big hit. It's a good sign for us when she can pitch well."
Alyssa Reuble (1-3) got the loss in 6 innings. She allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits.
The Broncos return to action Friday at 4:30 p.m. vs. Creighton on the opening day of the Santa Clara Invitational.
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