PALO ALTO, Calif. – Santa Clara softball lost a pitcher's duel 2-1 in walk off fashion to Stanford Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Stanford Nike Invitational.
The Cardinal (10-7) put the winning run on second in the seventh with a four-pitch walk to start the inning and a sacrifice bunt. With two down, Montana Dixon came through with an RBI single to left.
Micaela Vierra (0-5) took the hard-luck loss for the Broncos (0-9) in 6 2/3 innings. She allowed two runs on four hits with five walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Vierra didn't allow more than one hit to any Cardinal but a one-out single by Alyssa Horeczko in the fifth evened the score at 1-1.
Ellie Fisher led off the ballgame with a walk and was on second with two down when Cardinal starter Kiana Pancino lost the strike zone. She walked the next three batters to bring in the first run of the day and Maddy Dwyer entered from the bullpen.
Dwyer (6-5) finished off the next 6 1/3 innings and picked up the win. She allowed just two hits and struck out six.
Jordan Dawkins and Katherine Sanchez had the lone Bronco hits with Morgan Modesto drawing the bases loaded walk for an RBI.
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The Broncos host San Jose State Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the home-opener.
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