SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara softball earned a split on the first day of the Silicon Valley Classic Tournament on Friday, losing to Sacramento State 6-4 before downing UC Santa Barbara 9-4 in the nightcap.
GAME 1: Sacramento State 6 - Santa Clara 4
Sacramento State got production from the middle of the lineup including two-RBIs each by Lewa Day and Carley Morfey to defeat Santa Clara 6-4.
The Hornets (5-6) collected 10 hits in the game, none bigger than Day's go-ahead two-RBI double in the fifth. With two runners on and trailing 3-2, Day roped a double to right center to plate Jada Walker and Gwen Ludwig to put Sacramento State ahead for good.
Santa Clara (3-8) got an RBI single from Sammy Needham in the bottom of the fifth to get within a run at 5-4, however, Caroline Evans doubled home an insurance run in the seventh to give the Hornets a two-run cushion.
All six runs driven in by the Hornets came from the third through sixth hitters with most of the damage against Broncos starter Sage Hager. The sophomore hurler gave up five runs on nine hits over five innings and fell to 1-3 on the year.
Savannah Wahl went the distance for the Hornets, scattering eight hits and four runs to improve to 2-1.
Needham went 2-for-4 while Morgan Salmon had two RBIs.
GAME 2: Santa Clara 9 - UC Santa Barbara 4
Santa Clara (4-8) and UC Santa Barbara (5-4) went back and forth in the first three innings and were knotted at 3-all heading to the bottom of the fifth when Lauren LaHood unloaded a three-run home run off UCSB starter Malaya Johnson to help the Broncos to a 9-4 victory.
LaHood deposited the ball over the right-field fence as part of a four RBI game. It was the second career home run for the redshirt senior.
After the Gauchos cut into the Broncos lead, 6-4, with a run in the sixth, SCU added three more runs in the home half of the sixth when LaHood drew a bases loaded walk and Hazyl Gray doubled in two runs.
Gray (3-2) who went 2-for-3 at the plate also starred in the circle, tossing three innings in relief to pick up the win. The freshman allowed three hits, one run, walked three and struck out two.
Johnson (1-2) gave up seven hits, six runs, five earned and walked four over 4 2/3 innings.
Head coach Gina Carbonatto says the Bronco bats are heating up after her team picked up its first home win of the season on an unusually chilly Friday night.
— Santa Clara Softball (@SCUSoftball) February 25, 2023
Two more games on tap for Saturday starting at 1pm!#StampedeTogether #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/t8HQIZmt5j
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On Saturday, Santa Clara plays UC Santa Barbara at 1 p.m. followed by Northern Colorado at 3:30 p.m.
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