Softball looks toward league finals
By Josh Griffin
The Santa Clara softball team missed another opportunity to win its elusive 22nd game of the season this past weekend, losing both games of a doubleheader to Saint Mary's in Moraga. The team's record stands at 21-36 entering the final weekend of play at the Western Intercollegiate Softball League Championships in Moraga.
The 22nd win has become paramount for the Broncos, as it would equal their program's highest win total in the last eight years. However, the team has lost four straight since its April 27th victory over Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles.
The first game of Saturday's doubleheader remained scoreless through four innings before Saint Mary's scored three runs in the fifth. The Broncos returned the favor in the top of the sixth by scoring three runs on RBIs by sophomore Rachel Sherman, junior Tracie Hall and freshman Kelley Johnson. Johnson's groundout to the pitcher was good enough to score senior outfielder Sydney Wiginton to tie the game at three.
The Bronco rally fell short in the top of the seventh when the Gaels scored in the bottom of the seventh on a game winning RBI from center fielder Tiffany Redding to win 4-3. Senior pitcher Deanna Rodriguez took the loss for Santa Clara, moving her record on the season to 10-14.
The Broncos were led offensively by Wiginton, who ended the game 3 for 4. Hall finished the game 2 for 2 with one RBI, and junior second baseman Lauren Fissori was 2 for 3.
In the second game the teams were deadlocked at 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth when the Gaels broke out with four runs on five hits. The 5-1 score held throughout the duration of the game.
The only RBI in the second game for the Broncos came from Hall, who went 1 for 3 on the game. Freshman pitcher Jennifer Ponzo took the loss for the Broncos, moving her season record to 6-12.
The team now awaits this weekend's final series in the WISL Championships, where they will play against Saint Mary's, Loyola Marymount and San Diego. They had some success with victories over Loyola Marymount and Saint Mary's earlier in the season but lost both ends of a doubleheader in their only matchup with San Diego this year.
In the wake of this weekend's disappointing set with Saint Mary's, the team remains optimistic that they can turn it around.
"We know we are a better team, and we didn't show what we were all about against Saint Mary's," said junior second baseman Lauren Fissori. "We don't want to end the season like that."
"We have to play to our ability, and not fall to the ability of our opponents," Hall said.
The WISL Championships, held in Moraga, are scheduled for Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 12.
Their first game will be held at 9 a.m. Friday morning against Loyola Marymount University.