EL PASO, Tex. – Santa Clara University's Jamie Wallis hit a homerun, freshman teammate Breezy Bernard knocked in a run during her collegiate debut and Kelly Scribner doubled, but host UTEP spoiled the Broncos 2012 opener by scoring six times by the end of the second inning to win 11-3.
Trailing 6-0 in the third, Santa Clara came up with three runs, sparked by Wallis' one-out drive to leftfield. Bernard singled to the shortstop later in the inning to bring in Stephanie Fisher, and Briana Knight scored on a wild pitch, which cut UTEP's lead to 6-3.
Bronco starter Carissa Theis (0-1) was relieved by freshman Jaymi Bautista-Geiger in the second inning and was charged with the loss. SCU played error-free defense in the field but could not generate enough offense to comeback from the early deficit.
UTEP used 10 hits and three homers, including four hits and a bomb from first baseman Camilla Carerra to post runs in all five innings. Cynthia Villastrigo (1-0) three all five frames for the Miners, allowing four hits, walking seven and fanning six.
The two teams will meet again on Sunday, the last of five games SCU will play at the Hotel Encanto Invitational hosted by New Mexico State in Las Cruses. Santa Clara will play twice on Friday in Las Cruses, first against local rival Saint Mary's at 8 a.m. (PT), then versus Illinois-Chicago at 12:30 p.m. (PT).
