SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In Friday's 2023 season opener at the NorCal Kickoff Tournament co-hosted by Sacramento State and UC Davis, the Santa Clara softball team lost 8-2 to Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights (2-0) scored five runs total in the fifth and sixth innings to break open the game which was a one-run contest at the time.
Kyleigh Sand went 3-for-3 with an RBI and four stolen bases while Maddie Lawson and Ryann Orange each went 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lead the 10-hit attack for Rutgers.
Playing at Sacramento State's Shea Stadium, Santa Clara (0-1) put at least one runner in scoring position in each of the first four innings but were only able to score in the second inning.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the second, freshman Marie Martorella drew a one out walk and moved to third on fellow freshman Hazyl Gray's double to right field. Both freshmen scored on a fielding error by Rutgers first baseman Calista Collins to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead.
For the game, the Broncos were held to 0-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven runners on base.
Rutgers quickly answered in the bottom of the second to retake the lead 3-2, on three hits including an RBI single by Sand and a sacrifice fly by Payton Lincavage against Broncos starter Sage Hager.
After giving up six hits in the first two frames, Hager settled down in the circle and faced the minimum six batters the next two innings before being relieved by Regan Dias at the start of the fifth.
Facing Dias, the Scarlet Knights extended its lead to 5-2 on a two-RBI single by Lawson in the fifth and added three more runs in the sixth, including a two-run homer by Orange for an 8-2 advantage.
Jaden Vickers (1-0) tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win while Hager took the loss giving up three runs over four innings.
Ashley Trierweiler had three of the five hits for Santa Clara.
Your opening day lineup. pic.twitter.com/40xk01lX8A
— Santa Clara Softball (@SCUSoftball) February 10, 2023
NOTES
- Freshmen Marie Martorella and Hazyl Gray were in the opening day starting lineup.
NEXT UP
The Broncos play two games in different locations on Saturday. In the 9:30 a.m. game, the Broncos face Utah Valley in Sacramento and then travel to Davis to take on Seattle University in the 2:30 p.m. game.
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