STOCKTON, Calif. – Explosive hitting and a shutout effort by Alaina Valdez lifted Santa Clara softball to a series clinching 12-0 five inning run-rule victory over Pacific in a West Coast Conference game on Saturday evening at Bill Simoni Field.  It was the second straight game that the Broncos scored in double figures.  Santa Clara has now won four games in a row including the first three of the series and sit atop the WCC standings at 7-4 along with Saint Mary's.  

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Santa Clara (28-20, 7-4 WCC) bats stayed hot as they racked up six extra-base hits including home runs by Leiora Davidson, Hazyl Gray and Abigail Charpentier.  The trio along with Cairah Curran each collected two hits and combined to score 10 runs and drive in nine. 
• Davidson finished with a career-high five RBIs, bringing home a pair in the third inning and hitting a three-run home run in the fourth.
• Gray and Charpentier had back-to-back home runs in the fifth.  It was Gray's third homer and 12th RBI of the series. 
• Meanwhile, Valdez (5-5) recorded her first shutout as a Bronco.  She gave up six hits, all singles, issued one walk and struck out a pair. 
• In the third inning, the Broncos sent 11 batters to plate, scoring all six runs after two outs.  Curran started the rally with a single as the next five SCU players safely reached base that included Gray's RBI single and a two RBI double by Davidson against Tigers starter Amiyah Aponte. 
• In the fourth, Davidson went deep against reliever Desiree Smith to push the lead out to 9-0.
• SCU added three more runs in the fifth on Gray and Charpentier's long ball. 
• Rian Diermeyer went 2-for-3 for Pacific (16-36, 5-10 WCC) as Aponte (2-7) took the loss.
• The game was originally scheduled for a noon start but it was pushed out to 6:15 p.m. PT due to rain that came through the area. 

• Santa Clara and Pacific close out the series on Sunday at noon.