SEATTLE – Santa Clara softball took the series opener 7-2 against Seattle U at Logan Field on Friday with the middle of the lineup providing the bulk of the offensive output and behind a gritty complete game effort by Ellison Schroeder. The fourth through seventh hitters drove in all seven runs including a career-high four RBIs from Marie Martorella. The win snapped their four-game losing streak and with West Coast Conference leader Saint Mary's losing their series opener against LMU, the Broncos are now three games behind with five games left to play.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Santa Clara (23-23, 8-5 WCC) got on the board in the first inning when Martorella delivered her first RBI on a single up the middle, bringing home Hazyl Gray to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
- Seattle (19-27, 5-8 WCC) knotted the game at 1-all in the home half of the second. The first three batters safely reached base against Schroeder. Abbie Hales and Aurora Zepeda singled, sandwiching a Brooklyn Jones hit-by-pitch. However, Schroeder minimized the damage allowing just one run on Avari Morris' RBI base hit. Schroeder was able to induce a pair of grounders to get the lead runner at home.
- In the third, Santa Clara regained the lead on an RBI double by Clements and a sacrifice fly from Leiora Davidson to make it 3-1.
- The game broke open in the fourth on Martorella's bases clearing double to push the lead out to 6-1. Elle Merlino drew a leadoff walk, followed by a Cairah Curran base hit. Taryn Clements drew a walk with two outs to load the bases as they all came home on Martorella's two-bagger to left field against starter Berkley Vance who dropped to 6-10 on the year.
- The Redhawks had another bases loaded opportunity in the fourth to get back into the game. Similar to the second inning, the first three batters safely reached base but they could only muster one run, on Jay Ross' grounder.
- The final inning saw Balmediano hit a solo home run to right field.
- Schroeder threw 155 pitches over seven frames, allowing four hits and two runs. She struck out four and issued four walks to improve to 11-8 on the season.
HIGHLIGHTS:
NEXT UP:
- Game two of the series will be played on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT.
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