MORAGA, Calif. – In a pitcher's duel between Santa Clara softball's Cari Ferguson and Saint Mary's Odhi Vasquez, it was Ferguson that got the upper hand in the Broncos 3-0 extra-inning win to take the West Coast Conference series opener to remain atop the league standings at 6-1.  The Broncos are a full game clear of LMU who swept Pacific in a doubleheader today and sits in second place at 5-2. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Cari Ferguson pitched a gem of a game, going the full nine innings for her third shutout in her last four appearances.  She allowed just two hits, struck out four and walked four in her 118 pitch outing to improve to 6-8 on the year.  The freshman hurler has allowed one run in the last 28 2/3 innings spanning four games to lower her league leading ERA to 2.01  
• Kyla Acres and Abigail Charpentier combined to drive in three runs in the top of the ninth to break a scoreless deadlock to provide Ferguson with the much needed run support as Vasquez was equal to the task.  The Gaels pitcher threw 152 pitches over 8 1/3 innings before being replaced by Ella Thurman after giving up the three runs.  Vasquez gave up four hits, struck out four, walked four and all three runs were earned to drop to 8-6.  
• In the top of the ninth, Hazyl Gray was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  With one out, Acres delivered a single up the middle to plate Gray for the first run of the contest.  The next batter Charpentier took Vasquez deep for her team-leading sixth home run of the season for some Bronco insurance runs.  
• Heading into the ninth, Vasquez had allowed only two hits.  In the first, the Broncos put runners at the corners with no out following Cairah Curran's leadoff walk and Rebecca Rubio's single.  However, Rubio was caught stealing and Vasquez retired the next two batters to escape out of the jam.  Vasquez held the Broncos hitless until the seventh when Curran beat out an infield single.  On that play, pinch runner Elle Merlino was thrown out at home as she tried to score from second to keep the game scoreless. 
• Ferguson allowed a hit in the first and the fourth including an opening inning triple to Alex Cutonilli but she was stranded when Ferguson fanned Braxton Brown.  
• It was the third straight extra inning game for SCU who are 5-3 in extra inning games this season.     

NEXT UP:

• Santa Clara and Saint Mary's play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.         

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