SANTA CLARA – The Loyola Marymount University softball team (13-16, 1-1 WCC) split on its first day of conference play, as the team beat Santa Clara 4-1, and then fell to the Broncos in their second game of the day 5-3 while on the road.
Santa Clara put the first run on the board in the bottom of the fourth. The Lions responded in the top of the fifth, starting with a double from
Peyton Angulo.
Page Mindedahl came in to pinch run for Angulo, and then advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt from
Madalie Gomez. Mindedahl then scored after
Alyssa Daniell singled up the middle.
Tied at 1-1, the Lions continued their momentum in the top of the sixth, starting with a double from Martinez. A sacrifice bunt from
Morgan DeBord advanced Martinez to third, and then a single from
Megan Dedrick sent her home.
Dedrick then advanced to second when Angulo singled, and then stole third, while Angulo stole second. Both scored after Gomez doubled. The Lions closed out game one with a 4-1 win over the Broncos.
The Lions had eight total hits, compared to SCU's four. Dedrick and Angulo both. Went 2-3 at the plate.
Marina Vitalich (7-7) pitched a complete game, only allowing four hits and one run, while collecting an impressive 12 strikeouts.
Up 1-0 on the day, LMU had a tough second game against the Broncos. SCU put the first run on the board in the bottom of the first, LMU responded in the top of the second with a run from DeBord, who singled, and then advanced on a single from Dedrick, a walk from Angulo and a. single from Daniell, who collected the RBI.
Santa Clara responded with three runs in the bottom of the second. The Lions scored another run un the top of the fifth, as Keinath doubled, and then made it home after
Desiree Moreno singled. The Broncos responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth.
LMU was able to score once more in the top of the seventh, after
Molly Grumbo crossed home after reaching on a fielding error. DeBord collected the RBI after her sacrifice fly. The Lions weren't able to put any more runs on the board, closing out the game with a 5-2 loss, going 1-1 on the day.
LMU had 10 hits, compared to SCU's nine. Dedrick went 3-4 at the plate, while Keinath went 2-4. Moreno led the team in putouts with six.
Alessandra Samperio pitched 4.0 innings, allowing six hits and four runs.
Paulina Johnson pitched 2.0 innings, allowing three hits and one run.
The Lions will be back on the field on Sunday to conclude their third game of the series against the Broncos.
