SANTA CLARA, Calif. – A West Coast Conference series between the University of the Pacific Softball team and Santa Clara started Saturday from Santa Clara Softball Stadium. Trailing by two runs, the Tigers won the series opener in comeback fashion, 3-2 in eight innings. In game two on Saturday, the Broncos shut out Pacific, 6-0.
 
GAME ONE SUMMARY
 
Pacific 3, Santa Clara 2 (8 innings)
 
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning for Santa Clara, Ashley Trierweiler was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the day for the Broncos. Following the first run, Allyson Ferreira hit an RBI single to left field, as Ella Romero scored to give Santa Clara an early 2-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third inning with two outs, Madison Kahwaty stole second base. Then, Valeria Torres-Colon hit a single, and an error allowed Kahwaty to score from second, as Pacific was on the scoreboard for the first time on Saturday.
 
Torres-Colon was on second base in the top of the sixth. Carly Lucchetti singled up the middle for an RBI to drive in Torres-Colon for the tying run, completely erasing a two-run deficit faced by the Tigers.
 
Through seven innings, the score was even at 2-2 and the series opener needed extra innings to decide a winner.          
 
Kahwaty led off the top of the eighth with her first triple of the season. Later in the inning, Rian Dirmeyer hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Kahwaty for the go-ahead run. Pacific led 3-2.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, although the Broncos had the tying run on base after a leadoff single from Sarah Ellersick, Myka Sutherlin retired the next three batters and finished with an eight-inning complete game victory as the Tigers won 3-2.
 
GAME TWO SUMMARY
 
Santa Clara 6, Pacific 0
 
The bases were loaded for the Broncos in the bottom of the second when Trierweiler singled up the middle to drive in a pair of runs. Following the single, SCU doubled its lead to 4-0 on a double hit by Ferreira to drive in two more runs.
 
Santa Clara scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. One was from a sacrifice bunt RBI by Liyah Lopez and the other was from an RBI single by Trierweiler.
 
Pacific was limited to five hits, and only had one runner in scoring position after a double in the second inning by Jessica Mabrey.
 
Santa Clara won 6-0, as the doubleheader was split on Saturday.
 
NOTABLE STATS

• Sutherlin was the winning pitcher in game one, improving to 4-1 on the season after a complete game eight inning performance. She allowed two runs and had six strikeouts.
• Torres-Colon had two hits in game one.
• Madeline Domingo is on a four-game hit streak for Pacific.
• Through Saturday, Kahwaty and Torres-Colon are tied for second in the WCC with 10 stolen bases each.  
• In games decided by one run this season, the Tigers are 8-5.
• Game one was the fifth game to go to extra innings in 2021 for Pacific.
• Pacific is 12-12-1 and 2-3 in WCC play after Saturday's doubleheader.   

POSTGAME QUOTES
 
Pacific head coach Brian Kolze following Saturday's doubleheader:
"Did a great job battling and coming back to win the first game in extra innings."
 
"Unfortunately, we didn't play the same game in game two."
 
"Hopefully tomorrow we can be more consistent in how we play."
 
UP NEXT
 
The series finale between the Tigers and Broncos takes place Sunday with a first pitch from Santa Clara Softball Stadium set for noon.
 
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