Stockton, Calif. - In the finale of a three game series with Santa Clara, the Pacific softball team used a six run inning to sink the visiting Broncos, 7-3. With the victory, Pacific improves to 13-21 (2-1, WCC) on the year while Santa Clara falls to 5-22 (1-2, WCC) with the loss.

Senior Tori Shepard (5-9) took the mound for Pacific, working through a leadoff single in the second while shutting down the Broncos in order in the second.

For Santa Clara, Ciara Gonzales (2-8) got the call. Gonzales surrendered an unearned run in the first inning, as senior Gabby Goyette singled on a bunt to begin the inning, was sacrificed into scoring position and scored on an error by second baseman Geenamarie Bonilla, giving Pacific an early 1-0 lead.

Shepard would hit a rough patch in the third inning, as she surrendered a one-out single to Amanda Delfino and a walk to Casandra Padilla. The next hitter, Rochelle Rivera, singled through the left side to load the bases for Stephanie Fisher. Fisher delivered a sacrifice fly to center fielding, scoring Delfino and leveling the score at one apiece. Bonilla followed with a single to give the Broncos a 2-1 advantage.

Gonzales shut the Tigers down in the bottom of the frame, and Shepard matched her in the top of the fourth, working around a leadoff single to Breezy Bernard.

In the bottom of the fourth, Pacific's offense exploded for six runs on seven hits. Sophomore Nicole Zapotoczny started the inning with a single to right field. Freshman Cassidy Gustafson sacrificed Zapotoczny into scoring position for junior Alex Steinmehl. Steinmehl delivered a long home run to right field, her first round-tripper of the year, giving Pacific the 3-2 lead.

Junior Kamalei Pitoy followed with an infield single but was thrown out at second as sophomore Sara Anderson reached on a fielder's choice. Goyette singled down the right field line, advancing Anderson to third and putting runners on the corners for sophomore Melanie Habib. Habib was hit by a Gonzales pitch, loading the bases for senior Taylor Petty.

Petty delivered in the clutch, singling through the left side of the infield, plating Anderson and Goyette, extending the lead to 5-2 for the Tigers. Freshman Bailey O'Mara kept the line moving with a single to left field, loading the bases for Zapotoczny, the Tigers tenth hitter of the inning. Santa Clara went to the bullpen, summoning Briana Rios, but Zapotoczny delivered her second hit of the inning, scoring Habib and Petty and extending the Pacific lead to 7-2.

Shepard would surrender a run in the top of the fifth, as Bonilla doubled in a run, but Pacific would take the 7-3 lead into the sixth. Shepard shut the Broncos down in order in the penultimate frame, and worked around a pair of Broncos baserunners in the seventh to seal the series victory for the Tigers in the rubber match.

Petty, Zapotoczny and Steinmehl each had two-RBI days, O'Mara and Goyette each notched a pair of singles and Shepard had a great day in the circle, surrendering just three earned runs while striking out six in a complete game, eight hit effort.

Pacific will be back at Bill Simoni Field to wrap up the homestead against Sacramento State on Tuesday, April 8 at 6:00 pm. The game is a makeup date for the Tigers originally scheduled home opener in February.

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