April 12, 2011

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Playing under the lights for the first time in program history, the Pacific softball team used some fireworks of their own to light up the scoreboard as the took down Santa Clara, 11-1, in six innings on Tuesday, April 12. The win moved the Tigers to 25-13 on the year as they surpassed their 2010 season total for wins with the victory. The Broncos fell to 6-14 for the year with the loss.

Sophomore Amanda Collier ended the festivities under the lights with a walk-off, three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth to give Pacific the runs needed for the early stoppage. Pinch hitting in the four hole as the Tigers held an 8-1 advantage, the sophomore wasted no time getting acquainted with the Broncos' pitching as she crushed the first pitch she saw over the left-center field fence to send the fans home early. The round-tripper was Collier's, who missed all of last year on medical leave, first of the season and fifth for her career while driving in a season-high three runs for the redshirt-sophomore.

Setting the inning up for Collier was the top of the Tigers' order as freshman Taylor DeSilva, another Tiger pinch-hitter, singled up the middle to start the inning while senior Lindsey Pierce hit a hard shot at the third baseman that was misplayed for an error. With two on and one out, Collier stepped to the plate in place of junior Nicole Matson who had already left the yard earlier in the game.

Just as Collier did five innings later, Matson did not hesitate to jump on the first pitch she saw in the game as the redshirt-junior lifted a two-run, opposite field shot over the right-center field fence to get Pacific's night started. The shortstop's blast was her seventh of the season and 20th of her career which moved her into a tie for No. 4 all-time in Pacific history with Adrienne Ratajczak (1998-2001).

With two on the board after one inning of play, Pacific tacked on a third run in the second on a bases loaded infield single by Pierce. The Tigers' right fielder drove home sophomore Amy Moore who had reached on her first of two singles in the game to start the inning.

After missing out on breaking the game open in the third by leaving the bases loaded and coming up empty in the fourth, the Tigers did not miss out on opening the flood gates in the bottom of the fifth when they dented the plate five times to take the 8-1 lead. A pair of one-out walks would give the Tigers their first two runners of the inning before cashing in their free passes with yet another two-out rally. A single by Moore brought home the first run of the inning before a third walk loaded the bases for the second time in the game.

With their hottest hitter stepping to the plate, freshman Kelsey Rodriguez laced a single to center to plate two more runs and post her second single of the contest in the hit column. Following Rodriguez, sophomore Megan Allen slashed a fading shot into the gap in left-center that dropped just under the dive of the Broncos' center fielder and rolled to the wall. Motoring around the bases, Allen would be waved home in an attempt to end the contest with Pacific's first inside the park home run, but a perfect relay from the fence cut the Tigers' third baseman down at the plate just before she could slide home safely. Despite the out, Allen put the Tigers' on the brink of victory with a two-RBI triple, her second three-bagger of the season.

In the circle, the Tigers got another stellar performance from freshman Tori Shepard (10-5) as the Lodi High School graduate gave up just one run in six innings of work. The lone blemish for Shepard came in the top of the third inning when she gave up a solo home run down the left field line just inside the foul pole. The home run came from Jamie Wallis who posted two of the Broncos five hits in the game. In total, Shepard allowed just six baserunners as she gave up just one walk to go along with the five hits. Additionally, the freshman struck out seven en route to her 10th win of the season.

Turner suffered the loss for the Broncos as she gave up 10 hits and 11 runs, 10 earned, in 5.1 innings of action. She walked four, hit one and struck out one to fall to 1-9 on the year. The Tigers were led by Moore and Rodriguez who each posted two hits in three trips to the plate while freshman Megan Foglesong and Matson each recorded a pair of runs.

Pacific heads back into Big West play on Saturday, April 16, when the Tigers travel to Northridge, Calif. to take on the Matadors of Cal State Northridge. The first game of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 12:00 pm.