Score: UC Davis 2, Saint Mary's 1
Winning Pitcher: Ashley Sawai (2-0)
Losing Pitcher: Chelsea Bennett (0-1)
Location: Davis, Calif. (La Rue Field)
Records: UC Davis 3-1, Saint Mary's 1-4
The short story: Behind a second-straight complete game masterstroke from
Ashley Sawai and a sixth inning two-run rally UC Davis softball ended the weekend with an excited 2-1 win over Saint Mary's to wrap up the 2025 NorCal Kickoff.
LEADING OFF
- Sawai went the full seven, allowing no earned runs, striking out eight and walking any batters
- The eight strikeouts tie a career-high and it's the second-straight game she has sat down eight batters
- Alyssa Dethlefson went 2-for-3, scoring one run and stealing a pair of bags
- Claire Shelton provided the big blow, knocking in the two winning runs in a pinch hit appearance
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Saint Mary's did its only lasting damage in the game during the opening inning when they scored an unearned run to take a 1-0 lead
- Sawai then locked in, striking out at least one batter over the next three innings, quieting the Gael bats
- After Sawai sat down the Gaels in order, ending the top of the sixth, the Aggies came to the plate looking to finally break through and take a late lead
- Dethlefson got things started when she singled up the middle then swiped her second bag of the game
- Olivia McFarland doubled to center, moving Dethlefson to third and setting the plate for Shelton to clean things up
- Facing a 1-2 count Shelton got the pitch she wanted, sending it right back up the middle to score Dethlefson and Vanessa Calvillo (pinch run) to give the Aggies the late lead
- With UC Davis now in front, Sawai came out to the circle and proceeded to strike out the side to end the game, getting the final Gael to swing and miss to end the game and lock in the Aggie comeback, 2-1
UP NEXT FOR THE AGGIES: UC Davis next heads to the Cardinal Classic, hosted by No. 22 Stanford. Over the weekend of Feb. 14-16 the Aggies will face Portland State, UC Riverside and Stanford.
