Santa Clara, Calif. - The Red Flash were defeated 9-1 by #2 Washington and 11-3 by host Santa Clara on the second day of the Silicon Valley Classic II.
Game One Recap
Grace Vesco ( Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) started in the circle for the Red Flash. Washington quickly scored twice in the first inning off a hit by pitch, three singles and with some help from a Red Flash error.
Washington added another run in the second inning after hitting three singles in a row. A fielder's choice provided the third run of the game for UW.
SFU threatened in the bottom of the second inning after Halle Marion (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) singled and Ashley Wruble (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) walked. But Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) was called out on strikes to end the chance.
Vesco kept the Huskies off the board in the top of the third inning but Saint Francis was unable to respond in kind. However, SFU history was made as Mekenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) collected her 100th career hit on a sharp single to left field.
Washington added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning by using a walk and two singles to set the table and score one run. A double down the left field line gave UW a 6-0 advantage.
Washington almost ended the game in the fifth inning. A leadoff walk, a single, and another walk loaded the bases. However, the Red Flash defense obtained two straight fielder's choices at home but a double gave Washington an 8-0 lead.
The Red Flash rallied to keep the game going. With two outs, Avery Nagle (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) was inserted as a pinch hitter and singled up the middle. Saban then worked a walk and Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) singled to right center to load the bases. SFU scored after the Huskies pitcher threw a wild pitch. Allyn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin High School) flew out to left field but the game continued for an inning.
Washington regained the run at the top of the sixth inning. UW singled but Vesco obtained two straight strikeouts. But the Huskies singled twice to score the ninth run.
This time, the Red Flash were unable to prolong the game as the team went down in order to lose 9-1.
Game Two Recap
The Red Flash struck quickly against Santa Clara with a three run homer by Rachel Marsden (Erie, Pa./McDowell). Frank singled, Bezjak walked, and Marsden launched a rocket over the right center field fence. The rattled Santa Clara pitcher then hit Marion and Tayven Rousseau (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) with back-to-back pitches. This prompted a pitching change for the Broncos. The switch worked as Nagle and Emily Nunez (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Alta Loma ) both were set down to end the frame.
Marsden started in the circle for Saint Francis. Santa Clara earned two of the runs back. A leadoff walk and a hit by pitch started off the inning. A strikeout followed. A grounder to third advanced the runners and a single to right field scored two runs. A grounder was the third out but the SFU lead was cut to 3-2.
Saban singled in the top of the second inning but was caught stealing. Santa Clara swiped the lead in the bottom half of the inning. A leadoff single was erased by a fielder's choice. But two walks followed to load the bases. A single up the middle gave Santa Clara the 4-3 lead. A catcher's interference reloaded the bases. A single scored two runs and an error by Frank on the play allowed a third run to cross the plate. Bezjak recorded the final out but the Broncos were up 7-3.
Neither team threatened to score again until the bottom of the fourth inning. The Broncos loaded the bases on three straight singles but Marsden stood strong and obtained the final outs via strikeout and a grounder.
Santa Clara won the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Three singles loaded the bases and Grace Vesco ( Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) came into the circle to replace Marsden. A single to second base scored two runs after Nunez bobbled it. A double afterwards scored two more runs and ended the game at 11-3.
100 (and counting) Hits
As noted, with her single against Washington, Mekenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) became the latest SFU player to record 100 career hits.
Up Next
The Red Flash finish up the spring break in California tomorrow with two games against Utah State and Saint Mary's.
