April 30, 2005
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University softball team defeated San Diego 4-3 in nine innings in Pacific Coast Softball Conference action this afternoon at Marsalli Park. Shortstop Shannon Linerud then went 5-for-5 in the second game with the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh to lift SCU to a 6-5 win and improve the Broncos' record to 25-30, 8-10. The Toreros are now 17-23, 7-11.
With game one tied at 3-3 at the end of regulation, it took two extra innings of play to determine the winner. Freshman Maggie Godfrey hit her second double of the day to open the bottom of the ninth and advanced to third on first baseman Kelley Johnson's single. Junior Liz Courter followed with the game-winning RBI single down the left field line.
Godfrey finished 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs as the Broncos tallied eight hits. Sophomore centerfielder Angela Kabanuck followed with a 2-for-3 performance with one run scored and one RBI.
Both teams opened scoring with one run each in the second. Torero catcher Sara Mason reached base on balls, and advanced on singles from Alicia Massei and Danielle Treiber. A sacrifice fly to left field by Rebekah Bradford gave the visitors the early lead.
The advantage was short-lived, as Santa Clara scored on consecutive hits. Kabanuck singled to left field and was brought home by Godfrey's double to right center.
San Diego regained the lead in the sixth with Mason's third home run of the season. Second baseman Kim Delpit followed with a triple, as the Toreros finished the contest with nine hits.
Once again, SCU rallied, this time with two hits to take its first lead of the game. Torero pitcher Erin Harmonson loaded the bases, hitting two Broncos and walking a third. She was pulled in favor of Christina Haake, who allowed back-to-back RBI singles from Kabanuck and Godfrey before retiring the side.
Not to be outdone, San Diego tied the game at 3 in the top of the seventh. Left fielder Gina McFarland opened the frame with a double down the right line. She scored on a sacrifice fly one out later by Mason.
Linerud added a double to right center in the fourth. Courter earned her 13th win of the season, striking out five.
San Diego also took an early lead in the second game, notching two runs on three hits in the top of the second. Gina McFarland opened the frame with a triple, and scored on Kim Delpit's single. Two outs later, Delpit scored on Ashlee Nunes' RBI single. San Diego moved ahead 4-0 in the third, after Kathleen Bonja led off the inning with a double.
The Broncos countered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame, thanks in part to singles by Linerud, Jessica Clee, Godfrey and Johnson.
Nunes led the Toreros in the nightcap with her 3-for-4 effort as the team totaled 11 hits. Defensively for USD, Bradford made a defensive stop in the fourth, crashing through the outfield fence to hold onto a catch that robbed Clee of a three-run home run that would have put the Broncos in the lead.
Santa Clara finished with 13 hits and Sara Overmier earned her fifth win of the season in the circle. A Torero throwing error allowed the Broncos to score one run in the fifth.
Santa Clara closes out the regular season on Sunday with another doubleheader against the Toreros. First pitch is scheduled for noon. The Broncos will honor its senior class prior to first pitch: Kelley Johnson, Daisy Mettlach, Keri Reisinger, Lacey Smale and Vanessa Werner.
