HILLSBORO, Ore. – Santa Clara softball and Portland State each won a game on Sunday at the Hillsboro Ballpark to split the doubleheader, setting up the rubber game for Monday.
The Broncos took the first game 5-2 in eight innings while Portland State won the second game 4-1.    

Game 1: Santa Clara 5 - Portland State 2 (8)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Kyla Acres delivered a clutch pinch-hit single to score the go-ahead run in the eighth to break a 2-all deadlock and Ellison Schroeder tossed a complete game in the Broncos 5-2 victory in extra innings.  
• With the score tied at 2-2 in the top of the eighth, Santa Clara put two runners on against Giselle Pantoja (1-5) on a base hit from Robynn Balmediano and a walk to Audrey Graham.  Acres laced a single up the middle to score Claire Krotine, who came into to pinch run for Balmediano, from second base to put the Broncos up 3-2.  Following a four-pitch walk to Cairah Curran to load the bases, Rebecca Rubio and Hazyl Gray were hit by pitches to score a pair of insurance runs to make it 5-2. 
• Schroeder threw 154 pitches in her eight innings of work.  She gave up just three hits but walked eight and struck out six to improve to 6-5 on the season.    
• Both teams scored two runs in the third.  In the top of the frame, Sherreigh Nakoa Chung issued three walks to load the bases and two of them came home on RBI grounders by Elle Merlino and Robynn Balmediano.  Portland State (9-18) answered in the home half of the inning when Nakoa Chung drew a walk with the bases loaded and Mia Martinez hit a sacrifice fly.  
• Neither teams scored until Santa Clara (14-15) broke through in the eighth.  
• Cairah Curran went 3-for-4 and had two stolen bases.  

Game 2: Portland State 4 - Santa Clara 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Gracie Walters threw a 98-pitch complete game, allowing six hits and no walks as the Portland State (10-18) offense provided early support scoring three runs in the opening two innings.  
• The Vikings scored a pair of runs in the first against Broncos starter Cari Ferguson on Mia Martinez's bases loaded RBI grounder, followed by a fielding error.  
• Breanna Lutz went 3-for-4 including an RBI single in the second to push the lead out to 3-0 and added another run on a triple in the sixth.  
• Santa Clara (14-16) got their lone run in the fifth on a solo home run by Marie Martorella that carried over the left field fence.  It was her first roundtripper of the year and second of her career.   
• The solo homer was the only run allowed by Walters (3-5) who won her third game of the season.  
• Ferguson (6-8) was saddled with the loss pitching four innings.  
• Curran added two more hits to raise her season batting average to .386  

NEXT UP:

• Santa Clara and Portland State will play at the rubber game on Monday at noon PT.         

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