LOS ANGELES – Santa Clara softball clinched the series win against LMU behind a career day from Leiora Davidson who hit a pair of home runs and drove in six runs in the Broncos 10-9 victory on Saturday. Davidson's three-run shot in the top of the sixth proved to be the difference as Santa Clara erupted for six runs in the inning to take a 10-4 lead and held on to win the second straight game of the three-game West Coast Conference opening series.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Davidson, who went 3-for-4, slugged a solo homer in the fourth, had a two-RBI single in the fifth and blasted a three-run roundtripper in the sixth to set career highs in both home runs and RBIs. Each of her hits proved to be impactful - the solo shot tied the game at 2-all; the two-RBI hit put them up 4-2; and the second home run pushed the lead from 7-4 to 10-4.
- All the runs in the sixth inning came after a costly error by second baseman Sakora Harvell. The game was tied at 4-all and with two outs and a runner at third, Hazyl Gray hit a grounder to Harvell whose miscue allowed the go-ahead run to score. Pinch-hitter Marie Martorella followed with a two-RBI single to push the lead out to 7-4 before coming home on Davidson's long ball.
- Santa Clara (17-16, 2-0 WCC) committed four errors of their own with three of them coming in the final two innings to give LMU (22-13, 0-2 WCC) some late life. The Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth on three hits and two errors to narrow the margin to 10-7. And in the seventh, they got to within a run on two hits and an error, before Cari Ferguson shut the door.
- Ferguson came in relief to pitch the final 2 2/3 innings to pick up the win. She entered the game inheriting runners in scoring position with one out. She gave up an infield single to Taelor Walker but the runner at third was thrown out at home from shortstop Rebecca Rubio. Ferguson then induced another grounder to escape the inning.
- The Lions got on the board first in the home half of the third. They put up two runs on Sydney Poole's RBI grounder and a throwing error by Cairah Curran.
- Solo home runs by Taryn Clements and Davidson in the top of the fourth inning tied the game up. They were the first home runs on the season by Clements and Davidson.
- SCU went ahead in the fifth on Davidson's second hit before Poole answered with a two-RBI double to tie the game at 4-4. The designated player for LMU finished with five RBIs.
- Clements reached base in all four plate appearances, drawing three walks.
HIGHLIGHTS:
NEXT UP:
- Santa Clara and LMU close out the series on Sunday at noon PT.
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