SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Silicon Valley Classic II came to an end Sunday as Santa Clara softball earned a split. The Broncos (4-12) topped Northern Kentucky (4-12) 1-0 in the opener but fell to CSUN (11-12) 6-3 in eight innings in the weekend finale.

Game 1
Regan Dias threw 5 1/3 shutout innings and Lauren Anderson picked up her first career save by getting out of a jam in the sixth to help lead the Broncos to victory.

A double by Taylor Hoover put runners on second and third with one out and ended the day in the circle for Dias. Anderson came in and, after a walk, got a force out at home and a popup to get out of the inning with her team still holding a 1-0 lead.

Dias (3-1) allowed just four hits with two walks and a strikeout and Anderson didn't allow a hit in 1 2/3 innings with a strikeout to pick up her first career save.

"I'm really proud of Regan and Lauren," Santa Clara head coach Lisa Dodd said. "Regan pitched really well for us and Lauren did a great job to pick her up and close out the win."

Sammy Needham, who entered the weekend No. 21 in the country with a .514 batting average, broke the scoreless tie in the home half of the fifth with a two-out single to left that brought home Kat Sanchez.

Needham finished with a pair of hits with Dias and Kelsie Barnard also hitting doubles.

"The offense did just enough for us and came up with a hit when we needed it," Dodd said.

Taylor Ginther (3-6) picked up the hard-luck loss. She went the distance while allowing an unearned run on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Game 2
CSUN responded to Santa Clara tying the game in the seventh with a three-run eighth. Raquel Jamie started the inning on second and came in to score on a pair of errors on the same play. Pinch-hitter Alyssa Vazquez added another run with an RBI single back up the middle two batters later and with two down Dias walked in a run to make it 6-3.

All three runs in the eighth were unearned and charged to Dias (3-2) who took the loss in 1 2/3 innings.

After trailing the whole way, Santa Clara used a fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at 3-all.

"I was happy that the team never gave up and tied the game in the seventh," Dodd said. "We showed a lot of heart out there, but it was still disappointing not to win."

Dias had three this on the day while also adding a walk and three other Broncos collected a hit each.

Kenedee Jamerson (4-2) picked up the win after blowing the save in the seventh. Jillian James started for the Matadors and got a no-decision in 6 1/3 innings. She allowed two unearned runs on six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.

CSUN got on the board three batters into the game with a two-run shot to left by Megan Stevens. The Matadors added one more to lead 3-0 after a half inning.

Jaymi Steward had a four hit day with two doubles and Jamie picked up three hits for CSUN and with Stevens collecting two.

Santa Clara starter Anderson (1-6) settled down and didn't allow another run to get a no-decision in 6 innings. She allowed three runs on 10 hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

"It was nice to see Lauren settle down after a tough first inning and keep us in the game," Dodd said. "I'm happy we could get her off the hook."

Santa Clara took advantage of two hit batters and a two out error that loaded the bases in the bottom of the second. Dias stepped to the plate and hit a two-run single to left center to cut the deficit to 3-2.

UP NEXT
Santa Clara plays Bucknell at San Jose State Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. There will be a game between Northern Kentucky and UMass-Lowell at noon.

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