SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Cari Ferguson got her third straight complete game win while Marie Martorella and Cairah Curran drove in a pair of runs each in Santa Clara softball's 5-2 victory over Illinois State in the Silicon Valley Classic opener on Thursday night at SCU Softball Stadium.  

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Ferguson gave up two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out nine over seven innings to pitch her third complete game in as many games this season to improve to 2-1 on the year.  The reigning West Coast Conference Pitcher and Freshman of the Year has a 1.05 ERA over 20 innings with 24 strikeouts this season. 
• Santa Clara (4-2) led from the get-go, scoring three runs in the home half of the first inning on Marie Martorella's 2-RBI double and an RBI single by Leiora Davidson off of Paige McLeod. 
• Ferguson gave up her first hit in the fourth when Bella Atkinson led off with a double.  She would later score on an infield single by Taylor Liebelt to make it 3-1.  
• With the Broncos holding onto the two-run lead in the sixth, Atkinson once against led off the frame with a double but this time around, Ferguson left her stranded at third.  
• In the bottom of the sixth, Santa Clara added a couple of insurance runs on a base hit from Cairah Curran.  
• McLeod was saddled with the loss for Illinois State (2-4) even though none of the five runs she gave up were earned.  She dropped to 1-2 on the year.  

NOTES:

• Ferguson matched her career-high in strikeouts with nine.  She also fanned nine against Weber State on Feb. 6. 

NEXT UP:

• Santa Clara plays Utah at 2:30 p.m. PT and Cal at 5 p.m. on Friday on the second day of the Silicon Valley Classic tournament.  The Utah-Cal game will precede the Bronco games starting at noon.        

Connect with the Broncos on Social Media
Athletics: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Snapchat
Softball: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram