March 4, 2008

UC Davis 10, Santa Clara 2 (Game 1)
UC Davis 1, Santa Clara 0 (Game 2)

DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis swept Santa Clara in a non-conference softball doubleheader, Tuesday afternoon, at La Rue Field. The Aggies posted a 10-2 win in six innings in the first game before taking game two, 1-0. The wins improved the Aggies to 12-11 on the year while the Broncos fell to 3-20. Julie Stauder and Alex Holmes each had three hits on the day while Holmes and Jessica Hancock picked up wins in the circle.

Michelle Espiritu, Holmes and Deanna Menapace each had two hits in the first game. Menapace and Erin Emde each drove in a pair of runs as the Aggies banged out 11 hits in six innings of work. The Broncos took an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the first, and the score remained that way into the third.

UC Davis broke through with six runs in their half of the third. Menapace started the scoring with a bases-leaded, one-out RBI-single to tie the game at 1-1. The next batter, Ashley Johnson, was hit by a pitch as Holmes scored to put the Aggies in front, 2-1. The next run scored on a fielder's choice before two more scored on an error to make it 5-1. The Aggies took a 6-1 lead on an RBI-groundout by Sarah Axelson.

Espiritu led off the fourth with a single and stole second while Holmes was at bat. Espiritu promptly scored on a double by Holmes to increase the lead to 7-1. Later in the inning, Menapace drove in her second run on a groundout. UC Davis capped off its scoring in the sixth with two more runs. Emde delivered an RBI-groundout with no outs, and O'Neill ended the game with a long single to center to drive in Menapace.

Holmes allowed just one earned run in the complete-game victory. She struck out a season-high nine while allowing two hits and two walks. The freshman improved to 5-5 on the year.

The Aggies put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the second in game two. O'Neill started it with a two-out single, and Axelson doubled to deep right to drive O'Neill to give UC Davis a 1-0 lead.

As it turned out, that's all the run support Hancock (7-6) would need. The junior fired a three-hit shutout and struck out 10 with two walks. She retired the side in order in four of the seven innings while scattering three hits. The only significant threat by the Broncos came in the fourth inning with a runner at second and no outs. After a strikeout and a walk, SCU had runners at first and second with one out. Hancock then struck out Ashley Grove, and Amanda Edmonson was caught stealing on the play for an inning-ending double play.

UC Davis collected a combined 17 hits in the doubleheader with eight Aggies posting at least one hit. Stauder entered the day as the team's leading hitter and increased her average to .367 with her combined 3-for-5 effort.

UC Davis is next in action this weekend at Arizona State's Diamond Devil Invitational in Tempe. They begin the tournament Friday against host ASU and Utah.