March 5, 2010
Box Score
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Santa Clara softball team dropped a tight game to Saint Mary's, 2-0, in its opening contest of the Cal State Northridge Matador Invitational this afternoon. The Broncos registered eight hits against Gael pitcher Kimberly Green, led by sophomore Catherine Surane's single and double.
Santa Clara was the first team to put runners in position to score in the bottom of the second inning, loading the bases with two outs but a groundout to third ended the inning.
Senior hurler Kaitlyn Rauschnot and the Bronco defense held the Saint Mary's offense for two innings before surrendering a solo home run in the third to Rebecca Sabatini. The run would stand as the only one of the game until the top of the seventh.
In the fifth inning, the Gaels put a runner on third with no outs by way of a double and an illegal pitch, but Rauschnot got help from her teammates to work herself out of the jam. Mandy Camuso stayed put as the batter following her grounded out to third. The next play, Sabatini singled but Camuso once again could not score. Junior catcher Amanda Edmonson made a heads-up play to get the second out of the inning, throwing to freshman short stop Jamie Wallis to catch Camuso stealing during Kayla Gonzales' at bat. Following that, Rauschnot got a key strike out, putting Gonzales down looking to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Santa Clara got Wallis on third with two outs, but a fly ball for the third out prevented the Broncos from scoring.
In the sixth, Santa Clara put a runner on third base for the third time of the game, but again failed to score the run as a groundout ended the inning as the game headed into the final inning with Saint Mary's on top 1-0.
Rauschnot struck out her first batter faced in the seventh, but the Gaels countered with two consecutive singles, the second of the two scoring Sabatini after she stole second on Gonzales' at bat to make it 2-0. Following the run scored, the Broncos caught two fly balls to the outfield to turn in the side.
Santa Clara put itself two outs in the hole in the bottom of the seventh in their first two at-bats, but Surane came through with a clutch double to keep hope alive. However, Saint Mary's was able to get the final out to end the game as Edmonson grounded out to the pitcher.
Rauschnot pitched the complete game with 31 batters faced, 10 hits against, two earned runs, two strikeouts, and one walk. The Broncos received hits from sophomores Briana Knight (2B) and Kristin Welsh (1B), Wallis (1B), Surane (1B, 2B), junior Jackie Nicora (1B), and seniors Emily Batt (1B) and Megan Smith (1B).
Santa Clara (0-7) returns to the field tomorrow to play games two and three of the Matador Invitational, taking on fellow PCSC opponent Cal State Bakersfield at 1 p.m. and host Cal State Northridge at 3 p.m.
