LA JOLLA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Softball was in search of offense on Saturday after runs had been at a premium during the first seven games of the season. Things certainly turned around for the Gaels on Saturday at the La Jolla Invitational, where their offense piled up 16 total runs across two games, helping them earn a split. The Gaels beat Sacramento State 13-7 before falling to UC San Diego 4-3 in a drama-filled game. SMC is now 3-6 after the first nine games of the season.
 
Game 1: Saint Mary's 13, Sacramento State 7
 
CROOKED NUMBERS!
After failing to score more than two runs in an inning going into this game, the Gaels burst onto the scene thanks to some shaky play from Sacramento State and opportunistic hitting. In the bottom of the second, SMC put up six runs and needed just two hits to do. The first three runners reached via a walk, error, and fielder's choice, loading up the bases for Lindsey Cabral, who drew another walk to score the Gaels first run. Then the big bashes came, as Marissa Nishihara singled home the go-ahead run to make it 2-1, and after an RBI groundout from Jayda Alaan, Alex Casas roped a triple to score a pair of runs and even came around herself to score after an error to make it 6-1.
 
The game shifted in the third after Sacramento State answered with five runs to tie the game, but again the Gaels bats were ready. In the fourth, SMC took advantage of back-to-back errors to put two runners on with one out. Sasa Koria singled to load the bases, and against Casas delivered with a two-run single to make it 8-6. Then Indya Smith came up with her biggest moment of the season, recording a pinch-hit two-run double to deep left field, giving the Gaels a 10-6 lead. After a pitching change, another single, and a fielder's choice, Smith eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 11-6 and cap off another massive inning, with the Gaels scoring five to secure the lead.
 
EFFORTS NEEDED TO WIN
The Gaels pitching staff was roughed up early in the game to the tune of five runs in the first 2.1 innings of work, but Kailey O'Connor helped steady the ship. She delivered 4.2 innings of relief work, allowing just one earned run while striking out a pair to earn her first collegiate win. She was able to pick up the win thanks to the 13-run outburst from the offense, which had only scored 14 runs in the first seven games of the season. When all was said and done, Casas drove in four with a 2-4 performance, Nishihara recorded three hits and scored twice, and Claudia Kirchner joined the aforementioned Gaels with a pair of hits.
 
Game 2: UC San Diego 4, Saint Mary's 3
 
FIRST PUNCH
The offense that was on fire in game one came out swinging early in game two on the day. After Alaan was hit by a pitch, Koria hit her second triple of the season, this time scoring Alaan and giving the Gaels a quick 1-0 lead three hitters into the game. Casas waited no time following Koria, sending a single to left field and giving SMC a 2-0 lead. Thanks to some heads up base running, Casas then stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a bad throw and suddenly it was 3-0 Gaels just five batters into the game.
 
THE TURNING POINT
Saint Mary's had a chance to close out what would have been a win and a doubleheader sweep, leading 3-2 in the top of the seventh with Kayla Scott pitching. A leadoff error kickstarted a rally for UC San Diego, leading to a sacrifice bunt, and then the game-tying run on a single with another error in centerfield. With the game tied, a third SMC error in the inning put another runner aboard, giving the Tritons runners at first and second with still just one out. A go-ahead single down the right field line would be all the Tritons needed to score the run from second, and take a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the frame.
 
THE FINISH
Despite giving up the lead, the Gaels still had a chance to tie or win the game in the bottom half of the inning. Elena Barragan was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, but her pinch runner was caught stealing. A strikeout then put the Gaels on the verge of defeat when they mounted an impressive two-out rally. Nishihara reached on a fielding error, Alaan singled her over to third base, and Koria was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Alex Casas. Down to the last strike of the game, Casas came up empty, swinging and missing to end an exciting ballgame.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will play once more in the La Jolla Invitational, taking on Utah for the second time on the weekend on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 pm and from there, the Gaels will head back to the Bay Area to play Cal and Stanford twice in the middle of the week.