MORAGA, Calif. – The Pacific softball team wraps up its final West Coast Conference road series as the Tigers face off against Saint Mary's in a three-game series starting on Saturday, April 30.
The Tigers (11-32, 1-7) are coming off an impressive matchup against nationally-ranked Stanford last Wednesday, falling 4-0, while shutting out the Cardinal in the game's final two innings. Pitching highlighted the contest for the Tigers, as four pitchers combined for only two earned runs. Hannah Glad earned her sixth start of the season in the circle and pitched 1.2 solid innings, allowing one earned run on two hits. At the same time, Avery Croxall, Vanessa Strong, and Bethany Hammer combined for 4.1 relief innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits.
Croxall has been solid for the Tigers in the past few games, as she completed her 10th outing of the season with at least one inning pitched without allowing an earned run. The sophomore from Pleasant Grove, Calif., also tallied one strikeout, increasing her season total to 29, which ranks fourth on the team.
Strong and Hammer closed out the game's final three innings, allowing one run on four hits.
Carly Lucchetti was the lone Tiger to record two hits in the game against the Cardinal as she led the offense with her 13th multi-hit game of the season. Lucchetti's first hit came in the fourth inning, reaching on an infield single, and recorded a double off the left-center field wall in the top of the sixth inning. Recording her fifth double of the season, the senior from Linden, Calif., has now tallied 34 extra-base hits in her career, the most on the team.
Saint Mary's is coming into the three-game series with an overall record of 14-26 (2-7) and sits in fifth place in the West Coast Conference standings, just a half game ahead of the Tigers. The Gaels have lost eight of the last nine games but have significant wins over conference opponents, Santa Clara and San Diego.
Marissa Nishihara has led the Gaels all season, the lone member averaging at least a .305 batting average through 40 games. Nishihara is hitting at a .310 clip while also leading the team in hits with 36. The sophomore from Mililani, Hawaii, has tallied three or more hits in a game in six contests this season, with the most recent one coming in a win over Santa Clara on April 23, where she went three-for-five with two RBI.
Sasa Koria is second on the team with a .301 batting average and is tied with Nishihara with eight walks drawn this season. Koria has started in 31 of the 33 games she has played in and is second on the team in home runs with two.
Since the 1989 season, Pacific has a commanding lead over Saint Mary's in the all-time series, winning 48 of the 61 meetings in the past 33 years. Since rejoining the West Coast Conference before the 2014 season, the Tigers hold an 11-7 advantage over the Gaels, with five of those wins coming at Cottrell Field.
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