MORAGA, Calif. - Santa Clara softball nearly came back from a five-run deficit but their rally fell short, losing 7-5 to Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference series finale on Sunday.

After trailing 5-0, the Broncos scored four unanswered runs to got to within a run.  But in the bottom of the sixth, the Gaels added a pair of insurance runs on Marissa Nishihara's double and a Bronco error that proved to be the difference.

The Gaels (14-17, 5-1 WCC) jumped to an early 5-0 lead scoring two in the opening inning and three runs in the third.

Lindsay Cabral drove in three of those runs going 2-for-3.  She singled in a run in the first and two runs in the third.  The latter made it 5-0 and chased Broncos starter Hannah Edwards (6-5) from the game where she gave up seven hits over her two innings of work.

Santa Clara (18-20, 0-6 WCC) answered with three runs in the top of the fourth to get themselves back in the game.  The Broncos got their first hit of the game against Gaels starter Avrey Wolverton from Lauren LaHood.  Allyson Ferreira had one of three Bronco hits in the frame, a 2-RBI base knock to put SCU on the board at 5-2.  She scored later in the inning on a passed ball.

In the sixth, Morgan Salmon got the Broncos to within a run 5-4 with an RBI double.  The next batter, Abigail Charpentier put a charge into the ball but it was caught right against the wall by centerfielder Hannah Ferguson.

Ashley Trierweiler had a 12-pitch at-bat in the seventh against Odhi Vasquez that ended in an RBI double.  It brought the Broncos to within two runs at 7-5 and extended her streak of successfully reaching base to 32-straight games.  She was left stranded as Vasquez retired the next two batters to secure her first save of the season.

Kailey O'Connor (4-8) picked up the win allowing a run on three hits over 2 2/3 innings in middle relief.

The Broncos got multi-hit efforts from LaHood and Salmon.