SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara softball was eliminated from West Coast Conference championship contention losing both ends of the doubleheader to San Diego 7-3 and 3-2 on Friday at SCU Softball Stadium.  The Broncos dropped to third place in the conference standings with an 8-7 record and with LMU sweeping Saint Mary's today, both teams stand at 9-6 and will play for the conference championship tomorrow. 

Game 1: San Diego 7 - Santa Clara 3

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• San Diego (17-37, 5-9 WCC) scored five runs in the opening frame against Broncos starter Hazyl Gray and never looked back, taking the first game of the doubleheader 7-3.
• The Toreros had five hits, all singles, in the first inning with Shawnese Hogue-Lacy's hit scoring a pair of runs to knock out Gray out of the game.
• Hogue-Lacy was one of four Toreros with two hits as part of an 11 hit attack.
• Santa Clara (29-22, 8-6 WCC) answered with a pair of runs in the second on an RBI single by Rebecca Rubio and a RBI grounder by Bailey McLaughlin prompting a pitching change from Mo Wimpee to Kelsey Tadlock.
• Tadlock (2-8) pitched effectively the rest of the way, giving up a run on three hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings to earn the win. 
• Morgan Salmon had two of the five hits for the Broncos.
• Gray (3-5) was the losing pitcher.

Game 2: San Diego 3 - Santa Clara 2

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Needing to win the second game of the doubleheader to remain alive in WCC Championship contention, Santa Clara nearly overcame a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh but fell just short.  The Broncos scored two runs on wild pitches to get within a run at 3-2 but left the potential game-tying and -winning runs in scoring position. 
• Taylor Johnson hit a three-run home run off starter Hannah Edwards to break a scoreless game in the fifth inning for San Diego (18-37, 6-9 WCC).
• McKenna Braegelmann kept the Bronco offense in check until she ran into trouble in the seventh, leading 3-0.
• In the seventh, Rebecca Rubio led off the inning with a double down the right field line to force a pitching change.  Courtney Rose came in relief and gave up a couple of infield singles to Bailey McLaughlin and Cairah Curran to load the bases with no out.  Rose uncorked a wild pitch to allow Rubio to score to make it a two run game.  Hazyl Gray drew a walk to load the bases once again and with one out, Rose threw another wild pitch get the Broncos within a run at 3-2.  With runners at scoring position, Rose hunkered down to get the final two outs including the final out on a pop up to shortstop by Robynn Balmediano who had the walk-off hit a day earlier.  

• Santa Clara and San Diego play the series finale on Saturday at noon on Senior Day.  Four Broncos - Sage Hager, Cameron McGinnis, Bailey McLaughlin and Ella Romero - will be recognized in a pregame ceremony starting at 11:40 a.m. PT.