Bronco Briefs: Softball takes three out of four from Hornets
By Brian Betz
Softball
SCU 1, Sacramento St. 0 (10 innings)
In a game that saw six combined hits between the two teams, the Broncos picked up the win in the first extra inning when freshman infielder Shannon Linerud's single scored freshman first baseman Jessica Clee. Junior pitcher Jaime Forman-Lau flirted with a second straight perfect game until it was broken up in the sixth. Nevertheless, Forman-Lau went the distance, allowing just two hits while striking out 10.
Sacramento St. 8, SCU 0
Saturday's nightcap went much differently, as the Hornets jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after three innings before registering the shutout to even the series. The Broncos only managed three hits in support of freshman starter Liz Courtier, who took the loss after going just 2 1/3 innings.
SCU 2, Sacramento St. 1
Sunday picked up where Saturday left off, with another close contest between the two teams to start off the day's doubleheader. Senior outfielder Coresta Salas broke the 1-1 tie with a ninth-inning solo home run, her fourth on the season. Forman-Lau threw a complete game in the win, allowing just one run on three hits.
SCU 5, Sacramento St. 3
Forman-Lau took the hill again and was roughed up for three runs in the first three innings before the Broncos order put up a three-spot in the fourth to tie the game. Linerud and Salas hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth to take the lead before extending the margin in the seventh with another RBI double by Salas. The win moves the team to 27-22 overall and marks the most wins tallied by any Santa Clara softball team ever. The squad will look to extend its win total this weekend in a doubleheader at Saint Mary's.
Baseball
SCU 6, Loyola Marymount 4
Senior second baseman A.J. LaBarbera went a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs in last Friday's series opening win. Ahead 6-0 in the seventh, the Lions closed the gap with four runs in the top half of the inning. They wouldn't get any closer, however, as Broncos freshman closer Patrick Overholt came in to pitch the final 2 1/3 innings to capture his seventh save of the season. Senior pitcher Matt Travis allowed three runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 5-6 on the year.
SCU 3, Loyola Marymount 2
In arguably his best outing since returning from Tommy John surgery, sophomore pitcher Kellen McConnell picked up the win after going six full innings while allowing just one run and three hits. LaBarbera and freshman shortstop Michael Lange each went 2-for-3, while senior second baseman Scott Dierks' sacrifice fly in the fifth inning put the Broncos ahead and proved to be the difference maker in the win.
SCU 5, Loyola Marymount 4
Down 4-2 in the eighth, freshman infielder Michael Thompson hit a two-run home run to tie up Sunday's series finale. After the Lions stranded two runners in the ninth, senior catcher Jim Wallace delivered the game-winning RBI, scoring Dierks from second. Dierks led the game off with his 17th home run of the year, moving him into second place on the Santa Clara single season home run list. The series sweep leaves the Broncos at a 16-5 league mark (24-22 overall) as they gear up for this weekend's road trip against WCC powerhouse Pepperdine.
Women's Water Polo
WWWPA Championships
CS Bakersfield 8, SCU 7 (4OT)
The fifth-seeded women opened their competition at the Western Women's Water Polo Championships this past Friday with an overtime loss to the Roadrunners. Senior utility Kelley Mays and sophomore driver Katy Shumm led the Broncos with two goals, while junior goalkeeper Anne Ginotti anchored the defense with nine saves and two steals. The loss marks the third time Santa Clara has fallen to Bakersfield this season.
SCU 5, Chapman 4
Mays and senior utility Becky Hong scored two goals apiece as the Broncos staved off elimination Saturday morning. Freshman driver Bryn Asher added one goal while Ginotti recorded eight saves in goal.
SCU 11, CS Hayward 4
Leading 5-2 at halftime, the Broncos erupted for five more in the third period to preserve the win and move on in the championships. Six Broncos - Asher, Mays, Shumm, Hong, senior utility Elizabeth Glotzbach and freshman driver Kathleen Hamm - all scored two goals in the victory.
SCU 11, CS San Bernadino 8
The Broncos won their third straight tournament match to secure fifth place at the championships this past Sunday. Shumm registered three goals while Mays, Hong and Glotzbach each added two. Santa Clara concludes the season with an 18-20 record. Loyola Marymount defeated UC-San Diego for the Championship.