Feb. 25, 2007
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team capitalized on three UCSB errors but gave up a two-run home run in the top of the 7th inning to give Santa Barbara the game-winning run and the Broncos lost 4-3 in their final game of the UCSB Mini Tournament.
The Broncos wasted no time in getting runs on the board. Alyc Kalamaha, who hit second, walked, and two consecutive fielders choices then a single by Nori Kamada scored Kalamaha. Britney Sanford, who was running for Ashley Blier, also scored on the play.
Jackie Morales kept the Gauchos off the scoreboard until the fourth inning, when Santa Barbara put together three hits and a sacrifice to narrow the Broncos lead to 2-1. Then in the sixth, two more hits and another sacrifice tied the game at 2-2.
Santa Clara nearly took the lead in the bottom of the sixth after Nori Kamada reached on an error and advanced to second base. A sacrifice by Meghan Chavez advanced Kamada to third for the first out of the inning, but Santa Clara was unable to capitalize.
In the top of the seventh, the Broncos were just unlucky. After a leadoff single, Liz Walters, the number eight hitter, took Morales deep to left field for a two-run home run, giving UCSB a 4-2 lead.
But the Broncos weren't done yet. Angela Kabanuck singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and advanced on an error by the catcher. Then Jackie Morales stepped up to the plate and launched a two-out double to left field, scoring Kabanuck. With the game-tying run in scoring position, Blier lined out to centerfield to end the ball game.
The Broncos will return to the Bay Area Sunday evening and be in Berkeley Wednesday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m. to face the Cal Bears at Levine-Frick Field.
