LOS ANGELES – Santa Clara softball began their defense of the West Coast Conference championship on a strong pitching outing from Cari Ferguson and clutch hit in extra inning by Rebecca Rubio to defeat LMU 5-2 in the WCC opener on Friday night at Smith Field. With the game tied at 2-all and the bases loaded in the eighth, Rubio singled in the go-ahead runs while Ferguson outdueled Lindsay O'Dell as both hurlers went the distance to help the Broncos climb to .500 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Santa Clara (16-16, 1-0 WCC) scored a pair of runs in the opening frame and held on to the two-run lead until LMU (22-12, 0-1 WCC) rallied with a run each in the sixth and the seventh innings to knot the game at 2-2. In the extra inning, the Broncos loaded the bases on base knocks by Leiora Davidson and Elle Merlino, sandwiching a walk to Caitlyn Golob. Rubio's third hit of the game gave the Broncos a two-run lead once again. Hazyl Gray added an insurance run with her 100th career RBI to make it 5-2.
- The Broncos struck first in opening frame against O'Dell who entered the game tied for first in the WCC with 10 wins. The Broncos put runners at the corners on singles by Cairah Curran and Gray, and executed a double steal for the first run. Taryn Clements then singled home Gray for an early two run advantage.
- Ferguson kept the Lions off the board through the first five innings, allowing two hits and four walks but in the sixth, they broke through on pinch-hitter McKenna Charbonneau's double to score Taelor Walker.
- The Lions tied it up in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases on a throwing error by Ferguson, a walk and a single from Sydney Poole. Sakora Harvell's RBI grounder brought home the game-tying run. LMU still had the bases loaded with just one out but Ferguson hunkered down to retire the next two batters to extend the game into extra innings.
- Ferguson threw her league-leading eighth complete game and lowered her season ERA to 2.23. She moved to 7-8 on the season giving up five hits, two runs, one earned, five walks and three strikeouts. Meanwhile, O'Dell dropped to 10-7. She allowed 12 hits, walked four and struck out two.
- Curran, Gray and Davidson all had two hits each.
HIGHLIGHTS:
NEXT UP:
- Santa Clara and LMU continues their series on Saturday at 4 p.m PT.
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