SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara softball faced West Coast Conference leader LMU in a doubleheader on Saturday and dropped both games, losing 3-0 in the first game and 4-2 in the second.
Game 1: LMU 3 - Santa Clara 0
Hazyl Gray and Jenna Perez each tossed a complete game but one costly pitch by Gray proved to be the difference in LMU's 3-0 victory over Santa Clara in the series opener.
The game was scoreless entering the fourth when Val Pero sent an 0-1 offering from Gray over the left field fence with two runners on to score the only runs of the game.
It was one of three hits given up by Gray (4-7) who threw an economical 81 pitches over seven frames giving up a pair of walks and striking out two.
Amanda Ta'amu and Jasmine Sofowora were the other Lions (23-17, 9-1 WCC) with base hits.
Perez (12-9) on the other hand kept the Broncos (22-22, 3-7 WCC) off balance all game giving up one hit and striking out nine in her shutout effort.
The lone Bronco hit was a double by Lauren LaHood as Perez kept the nation's leading hitter Ashley Trierweiler hitless and off the bases to snap her on-base streak at 37 games.
Game 2: LMU 4 - Santa Clara 2
LMU took advantage of its scoring chances with three runs in the final two innings, including a clutch two-RBI double by Izzy Jamgotchian to take the second game of the doubleheader 4-2 over Santa Clara.
The Broncos (22-23, 3-8 WCC) struggled to score all day long and trailing 1-0 in the home half of the fifth, Abigail Charpentier hit a two-RBI single with the bases loaded to take their first lead 2-1. With two runners still on, Jessica Hubbard came in relief and struck out Regan Dias on four pitches to end the Broncos threat.
Earlier in the game, the Broncos had scoring opportunities but were unable to push a run across loading the bases on two occasions before Charpentier broke through. In total, SCU left 11 runners on base.
The Lions (24-17, 10-1 WCC) came right back in the top of the sixth. Sydney Poole led off the inning with a single, the first given up by Sage Hager since she entered in relief in the third. Morgan DeBord followed with another single before Jamgotchian's double scored the go-ahead runs as LMU retook the lead 3-2.
LMU added an insurance run in the seventh on Poole's hit.
Hubbard (6-2) got the win while Hager (9-7) was saddled with the loss.
Charpentier and Allyson Ferreira had two hits apiece and Trierweiler went 1-for-4 that dropped her season batting average to .515
Jamgotchian, Poole and Jasmine Sofowora each had two hits apiece.
NEXT UP
The final home game of the season is on tap for Senior Day Sunday at noon.
