Pacific Coast Softball Conference

GAME 1: SAINT MARY’S 9, SANTA CLARA 0

GAME 2: SAINT MARY’S 2, SANTA CLARA 0

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - In their conference home opener, Santa Clara (7-36, 3-3 PCSC) fell twice to the Saint Mary’s Gaels (17-19,
3-3 PCSC) in Saturday’s double header.  The Broncos lost the first game 9-0 and could not capitalize on a strong pitching performance by Jackie Morales in the second for a 2-0 loss.  Jenna Smith of Saint Mary’s went 6-for-7 for the Gaels, including two home runs on the day.

Morales (5-13) took the loss for the Broncos in the first game, giving up seven hits in four innings, allowing four runs, two earned while striking out two.  Megan Galloway (9-9) earned the win for the Gaels, throwing a complete game four-hit shutout and striking out six.

Molly Bergeson started things off for the Gaels in the first inning with a bunt and then advanced to second on an error by Ashley Blier. Bergeson was singled home on the next play by Jenna Smith to give Saint Mary’s a 1-0 lead.

In the third inning Morales found herself in a bases loaded jam with one out after giving up two singles and a walk.  A two run single to right centerfield by Kat Delpit brought the score to 3-0 before Morales forced two straight flyouts to end the inning.

A leadoff single by Sandra Ruezga in the fourth turned into a run as she moved around the bases on a bunt, a single by Bereson, and a passed ball, giving the Gaels a 4-0 lead.

Kaitlyn Rauschnot came on in relief for the Broncos in the fifth and retired the first two batters before giving up a walk which started a rally for Saint Mary’s.  After a passed ball three straight singles scored two runs for the Gaels bringing the score to 6-0.

A bases loaded passed ball in the sixth put the Broncos in a 7-0 hole and a two-out, two-run homerun by Smith in the seventh gave Saint Mary’s a 9-0 lead.  Two walks later, Lauren Passafuime came in to relieve Rauschnot and forced Delpit into an inning ending groundout to short.  That proved to be the end of the game after the Broncos were unable to get anyone past second in the final inning.

In the second game of the double header, Morales (5-14) started again and went seven strong innings, giving up just six hits and two runs with two strikeouts.  Maryann Cronin (5-5) earned the win, giving up six hits as well in her seven innings, but allowing no runs.

After thee scoreless innings by both teams, Smith knocked her second home run of the day over the fence for Saint Mary’s, a two-run shot to give the Gaels a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning.  Santa Clara looked like they might tighten up the score in the bottom of the inning after Godfrey singled to center and advanced to second when the centerfielder bobbled the ball, then moved to third after a groundout by Morales, but Breann Netto’s hard shot to third was gobbled up to end the inning.

Saint Mary’s almost extended their lead to three runs in the fifth, but Netto gunned down Kayla Aldridge as she tried to score from second on a single to right by Bronwyn Russell.

Morales held serve for the rest of the game and gave the Broncos a chance to stage a comeback in the seventh down by just two runs.  Jackie Nicora hit a two-out single to right, but Ruffoni grounded out to third to end the game.

Ruffoni was 2-for-3 in the second game of the day as well as Nicora for the Broncos.

Santa Clara will finish up the weekend series on Sunday, April 13 starting at noon against Saint Mary’s at Marsalli Park in Santa
Clara.

GAME 1: SACRAMENTO STATE 4, PORTLAND STATE 3

GAME 2: PORTLAND STATE 11, SACRAMENTO STATE 4 (8 INNINGS)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior Mandy Hill hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie and Portland State went on to an 11-4 win over Sacramento State a split of a Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium. The Hornets won the first game 4-3 on a RBI single by senior center fielder Hilary Johnson in the bottom of the seventh.

With the split, Portland State (22-18, 5-1 PCSC) maintains a one-game lead over Sacramento State (22-15, 4-2 PCSC) for first place in the conference.

Hill (12-11) suffered the loss in game one in the circle, and then earned the decision with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in the nightcap.

Sophomore right-hander Brittani Clifford (9-6) worked in relief in both games and earned the decision in both.

Hill’s home run was her fourth of the season.

Junior left fielder Izmena Cabrera and junior designated player Jamie Schloredt both homered on the afternoon for Sacramento State. Cabrera hit her sixth of the season with a two-run shot in game one, and Schloredt had a two-run blast in the third inning of game two.

The two teams will conclude the four-game series with a doubleheader Sunday at noon, at Shea Stadium. Per PCSC rules, Portland State will be the designated home team for both games.

GAME 1: SACRAMENTO STATE 4, PORTLAND STATE 3

Senior first baseman Melissa Cross doubled to open the seventh inning, and senior third baseman Teri Ann Caoagan advanced Cross to third on a sacrifice bunt to set-up Johnson’s game-winning single in the Hornets’ 4-3 win in game one.

The Vikings tied the game in the top of the seventh on a throwing error by junior second baseman Whitney Loomis. Junior second baseman Jamee Rauch tripled to open the inning, and scored on the play off a errant relay throw by Loomis. 

Clifford allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and struck out one in two innings of work to earn the win in relief of starter Kayla Meeks.

Hill allowed four runs on eight hits and no walks, while striking out five, in 6 1/3 innings in being charged with the loss.

Sacramento State broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by Cabrera. After Hill retired the first nine Hornet batters she faced, senior shortstop Amy Tompkins led-off the fourth with a triple down the right field line. Loomis followed with a single to score Tompkins for the game’s first run. A batter later, Cabrera hit her sixth home run of the year to make it 3-0.

Portland State plated two runs in the sixth to pull within 3-2. Junior center fielder Jackie Heide tripled to start the frame, and scored a batter later on junior first baseman Jana Rae Slayton’s RBI single. Two batters later, sophomore third baseman De’Chauna Skinner singled to score Slayton and make it 3-2.

Slayton went 3-for-3 to lead Portland State at the plate.

Tompkins was 2-for-3 for Sacramento State.

GAME 2: PORTLAND STATE 11, SACRAMENTO STATE 4

Hill’s grand slam broke a 4-4 tie and highlighted a seven-run eighth inning as Portland State earned a split of the doubleheader with the 11-4 win. The Vikings sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning.

Hill (12-11) also picked up the win after coming on in relief in the seventh. The third Viking pitcher of the nightcap, Hill worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out one. 

Clifford (9-6) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs, five earned, on eight hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Slayton was 3-for-5 and sophomore left fielder Brandi Scoggins went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Vikings at the plate.

Schloredt went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Cross was 2-for-3 with two RBI for Sacramento State.

The Vikings held a 14-11 advantage in hits.

Schloredt’s two-run home run highlighted a four-run third inning. Schloredt gave Sacramento State a 2-0 lead with her seventh home run of the season. Cabrera followed with a double and junior catcher Rachel Miles walked to put runners on first and second. Cross then singled to center to score both Cabrera and Miles to extend the Hornets’ lead to 4-0.

The Vikings pulled to within 4-3 on a three-run, two-out double by freshman shortstop Arielle Wiser. Portland State tied the game with a run in the seventh, when Slayton reached on a one-out double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Scoggins’ RBI single.

GAME 1: SAN DIEGO 1, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 0 (8 INNINGS)

GAME 2: LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 7, SAN DIEGO 3 (10 INNINGS)

SAN DIEGO -- LMU returned to Pacific Coast Conference play with a double header split at San Diego Saturday afternoon. Both games went into extra innings as the Toreros (14-27, 1-5 PCSC) took game one 1-0 in eight innings before the Lions (27-15, 2-4 PCSC) pulled out a 7-3 win in 10 innings in game two.

Both teams were evenly matched throughout the day, matching zeroes through regulation in game one. Senior Tiffany Pagano (16-8) battled Jennifer Ellenbeck (5-15) in a classic pitcher's duel that saw the Toreros score the game's only run with two outs in the eighth. After Pagano had retired the first two batters of inning, she hit Celeste Soto and gave up a single to Lindsey Fleet to put the winning run in scoring position. Kathleen Bonja then came through with her second hit of the game to plate Soto with the only run of the game.

Pagano went the distance, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out seven. Ellenbeck matched her with a six hitter, one walk, and one strikeout.

LMU had its chances, putting a runners in scoring position in the first, fifth, seventh, and eighth innings but failing to bring them home. Junior Kirsten Slouber was 2-for-4 as the only Lion to collect multiple hits.

Game two saw the Toreros grab a 1-0 lead in the first on a bases loaded walk by Ellenbeck. The Lions came back to tie in the top of the second on a fielding error by Soto at second that allowed junior Chelsie Tysdal, who had walked earlier in the inning, to score from second.

The Lions took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. Sophomore J.J. Hartung led off with a single and was moved to second, scoring on Slouber's double to left. Freshman Amy Charpentier followed with a double of her own to plate Slouber and knock USD starter Kristen Gensler from the game.

USD chipped away at the LMU lead, loading the bases with one out in the sixth for Stacy Compton's sacrifice fly that made it 3-2. In the seventh, back-to-back one-out singles chased LMU sophomore starter Melissa Dykema. Pagano came on in relief but could not pick up the save as Fleet delivered a two-out single to tie the game and send it into extras.

LMU had a chance to pull ahead in the ninth on consecutive one-out singles by Hartung and junior MiaSarah Cesena but reliever Jessi Waers retired the next two batters to keep the score knotted at three.

The Lions finally broke through in the tenth thanks to the international tiebreaker. Freshman Jennifer Nayudu was placed on second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, coming home on sophomore Christine Foley's single to right. Junior Megan Ackerman followed with a single and, two batters later, Hartung doubled to center to bring home Foley. Cesena followed with a two-run single to make it 7-3.

USD loaded the bases on a pair of walks in the tenth but Pagano got out of it by striking out the last two batters to clinch the victory.

Pagano (17-8) pitched 3 2/3 innings of two-hit relief for the victory. Her five strikeouts, combined with her seven in game one, moved her within 12 strikeouts of her LMU single-season record of 227, set last season. Dykema went 6 1/3 in the no-decision, allowing three runs on nine hits.

Waers was tagged with the loss after 5 2/3 innings in which she gave up four runs (three earned) on nine hits. Gensler allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Hartung, the conference's leading hitter, posted her first career four-hit game with a 4-for-5 afternoon. Slouber had another multi-hit game, going 3-for-6 with an RBI and run scored while Cesena also had three hits and two RBI.

The teams do battle again tomorrow with a double header starting at noon.

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