SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara softball returned to its winning ways sweeping the doubleheader against Pacific in a West Coast Conference battle on Saturday at SCU Softball Stadium. The Broncos got complete games in both games with Sage Hager shutting out the Tigers 9-0 in five innings in game one and Regan Dias tossing nine frames in the 3-2 walkoff victory in game two.
Game 1: Santa Clara 9 - Pacific 0 (five innings)
Santa Clara won 9-0 in five innings as the Broncos took advantage of free passes issued by Pacific with eight walks and two hit batsmen while Sage Hager tossed a shutout.
Hager (9-6) did not issue a walk and allowed five hits to help the Broncos snap its seven-game losing skid.
Santa Clara (19-21, 1-6 WCC) provided Hager with early run support scoring in each of the first three innings, putting up a run in the first, two in the second and six in the third.
In the opening inning, Morgan Salmon hit a sacrifice fly after Pacific's (9-22, 0-7 WCC) starter Scarlett Lloyd (3-8) walked three-straight batters.
The Broncos added a pair in the following inning on a couple of Tigers errors and blew the game open in the third with six runs on just three hits.
In that third inning, Lloyd and reliever Desiree Smith walked five Broncos between them. Cameron McGinnis drew one of the walks with the bases loaded. Hazyl Gray followed with a single to plate two runs and Sammy Needham had a bases clearing double.
Game 2: Santa Clara 3 - Pacific 2 (nine innings)
Regan Dias' pitching kept Santa Clara in the game before Morgan Salmon came through with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Broncos to a 3-2 victory in the backend game of the doubleheader.
Dias threw a career-high nine innings and gave up two unearned runs but the Broncos were unable to provide support except for two early runs, stranding 12 runners on base.
The Broncos (20-21, 2-6 WCC) were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position until Salmon's game-winner. She singled over the right fielder to plate Lauren LaHood from second.
Salmon finished 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Her other RBI came in the first, singling home Ashley Trierweiler who bunt singled to start the inning.
Trierweiler also finished with three hits. In the second, she hit a two-bagger in the gap to double the Broncos lead 2-0.
Pacific (9-23, 0-8 WCC) got its runs on a couple of defensive miscues by the Broncos. In the fourth, Allie Capello came home on a fielding error by second baseman Allyson Ferreira. And in the sixth, shortstop Morgan Salmon's error allowed Delaney Scully to tie up the game.
Dias (2-4) gave up just three hits over nine innings, walking one and striking out three to earn the win.
Avery Croxall (0-3) took the loss pitching the final 3 2/3 innings.
NEXT UP
The Broncos and the Tigers close out the series on Sunday at noon.
