SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Opening the final series of the season, Santa Clara softball had a walk-off win against Saint Mary's 3-2 in nine innings Friday night.
The Broncos (8-36, 3-10) led almost the entire way but the Gaels (14-33, 2-11) were able to score the tying run in the seventh before Eleni Spirakis won it with a sac fly in the ninth.
With one down in the home half of the ninth, Ellie Fisher picked up her third infield single of the game and swiped second, moving to third on a bad throw from the catcher. With two strikes, Spirakis hit a ball plenty deep to left to bring home the winning run.
Fisher scored all three Santa Clara runs and swiped three bases. Spirakis also added two hits. Taylor Burns picked up a pair of RBIs with Hannah Russell adding three hits and Kat Sanchez collecting two.
With two down and a runner on second in the ninth, nine-hole hitter Dylan Linton hit a deep fly to center that hit off the glove of Jordan Dawkins and went for a game-tying RBI double.
Despite surrendering the tying run, Aubree Kim was terrific in the circle. She hit the first batter of the game with her first pitch but bounced back to retire the next 14 in a row before committing an error with two down in the fifth. The next batter doubled to break up the no-hitter and shutout.
Kim (5-18) pitched the complete game while allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with eight strikeouts. It was her second career game without allowing a walk and her longest outing without issuing a free pass. Her previous high was six innings at LMU April 21 of this year.
Eileen Perez (5-11) threw all 8 2/3 innings for Saint Mary's and got the loss while allowing three runs, two earned, on 12 hits with two strikeouts.
HIGHLIGHT | Slash and win! Eleni Spirakis drives in Ellie Fisher and leads the #SCUBroncos to a walk-off victory over Saint Mary's tonight! MORE HIGHLIGHTS ▶️ https://t.co/yPim3vcVBZ #StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/jNmVpYuBSy
— SCUSoftball (@SCUSoftball) May 12, 2018
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The Broncos end the season tomorrow with a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. Fisher, McCall James, and Micaela Vierra will be honored in a pregame ceremony beginning at 11:45 a.m. as part of Senior Day.
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