SANTA CLARA, Calif. – For the second consecutive day, Santa Clara softball split a doubleheader, this time against Fresno State at home on Sunday. In the first game, Bronco pitchers Hazyl Gray and Ellison Schroeder combined to hold the Bulldogs to just one run while Robynn Balmediano drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth to give SCU a 2-1 win.
In the backend contest, Fresno State scored five runs in the the fourth to break a 3-all tie, aided by three Bronco errors, to earn the split with a 11-8 victory.
Game 1: Santa Clara 2 - Fresno State 1
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Starting pitcher Gray and Schroeder who came in relief in the fifth kept the Fresno State (10-9) bats quiet allowing the only run in the top of the first on a double steal by Emma Martinez and Alysa Rebolledo.
- Santa Clara (11-13) answered with a run in the second. Taryn Clements led off the inning with a single, stole second and came around to score on Caitlyn Golob's base hit.
- Fresno State starter Lauryn Carranco went the distance and Gray threw 4 1/3 innings as the score remained knotted at 1-all heading into the bottom of the sixth.
- In the sixth, Elle Merlino reached on an error before making her way to third before Robynn Balmediiano came through with a single up the middle to bring her home for the game-winning run.
- Schroeder allowed one hit in her 2 2/3 innings of work to pick up her fourth win of the season.
- Carranco was the hard luck losing pitcher giving up five hits two runs, one earned over six innings to drop to 6-5.
Game 2: Fresno State 11 - Santa Clara 8
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Fresno State (11-9) won the second game 11-8, breaking the game open with a five-run fourth inning to take the lead for good. In the frame, the first three balls that were put in play all resulted in Bronco errors and combined with three Bulldog hits resulted in five runs, all unearned. Olivia Hill and Jamie Hicks combined to go 7-for-7 with six RBIs. They had a hit in the frame that drove in three runs total.
- The two teams each had four errors as only eight of the 19 runs scored were earned.
- Carranco (7-5) threw the final 3 2/3 innings to pick up the win while starter Cari Ferguson (5-7) took the loss giving up seven runs, just one earned, over three innings.
- Cairah Curran, Rebecca Rubio, Gray and Leiora Davidson had two hits apiece for Santa Clara (11-14).
NEXT UP:
- Santa Clara plays a three-game series against Montana at home next weekend. They play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday at the SCU Softball Stadium.
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