SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara softball swept the doubleheader against CSU Bakersfield in a blowout and a walk-off fashion to stretch their win streak to six games and improve to 9-3 on the season. In the first game, the offense lashed out 14 hits in the 10-0 shutout win over five innings. In the backend game, Abigail Charpentier hit a walk-off hit in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Broncos to a 4-3 victory.
Santa Clara 10 - CSU Bakersfield 0 (5)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Santa Clara (8-3) offense struck early and often against CSU Bakersfield pitchers Bailee Bustos and Christal Lopez putting up two runs in the first and four runs each in the second and third frames. Meanwhile, Hazyl Gray was dominant inside the circle for the Broncos, giving up just one hit and a walk over five shutout innings to record her fifth win of the season. She dropped her ERA to 2.25 on the year.
- Six different Broncos drove in a run led by Rebecca Rubio who had three on a bases clearing triple off Bustos in the second to give the team a 5-0 lead. It was part of a 2-for-3 day for the sophomore shortstop. Hope Alley was the other Bronco with a multi-RBI game, bringing home a pair with a double in the third inning.
- Cairah Curran went 3-for-3 and scored each time she reached base while Jacqueline Lemus and Elle Merlino each collected their first collegiate hits.
- Hannah Garcia was the only Roadrunner (9-8) to get a hit off Gray.
- Bustos dropped to 6-3 on the year, giving up six runs on five hits over 1 2/3 innings of work.
Santa Clara 4 - CSU Bakersfield 3 (8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The game was tied at 3-all in the bottom of the eighth with the go-ahead runner at third when Abigail Charpentier came to at bat with one out. Needing just to hit it over the drawn in infield, Charpentier hit one over the left fielder to plate Hazyl Gray who led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Taryn Clements' sacrifice bunt.
- The Bronco bats were kept in check by Maya Ramirez as the CSU Bakersfield pitcher gave up two runs on just two hits over the first five innings. But they got five hits over the last three innings to tie the game up in the sixth at 3-all and scored the walk-off run in the eighth.
- Santa Clara (9-3) trailed 3-2 heading to the home half of the sixth when Kyla Acres came through with a clutch pinch-hit RBI single to knot the game.
- Jillian Sanchez and Anahi Castill had RBI knocks in the fourth to give CSU Bakersfield (9-9) a 3-1 lead against Bronco starter Cari Ferguson. Hannah Edwards came in relief and tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings to pick up the win.
- Ramirez came up on the losing end despite a complete game effort allowing four runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out one over 7 1/3 innings.
- Cairah Curran had two more hits and is hitting .595 on the year.
NEXT UP:
- Santa Clara heads to the Central Valley for the Capital City Classic, co-hosted by Sacramento State and UC Davis from Friday - Sunday.
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