BERKELEY, Calif. — Saint Mary's Softball is not traveling far from home to compete against four different teams over the course of five days, starting with Cal on Wednesday and ending with the Silicon Valley Classic throughout the weekend.

THE DETAILS
GAME #1
Saint Mary's (4-6) at Cal (7-3)
Wednesday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m.
Levine-Fricke Field - Berkeley, Calif.
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GAME #2
Saint Mary's at RV Stanford Cardinal (9-2)
Thursday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m.
Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium - Palo Alto, Calif.
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GAME #3
Saint Mary's vs. Utah State (3-5)
Saturday, February 26 at 12:30 p.m.
Santa Clara Softball Stadium - Santa Clara, Calif.
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GAME #4
Saint Mary's vs. Utah State (3-5)
Saturday, February 26 at 3:00 p.m.
Santa Clara Softball Stadium - Santa Clara, Calif.
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GAME #5
Saint Mary's at San Jose State (4-5)
Sunday, February 27 at 11:30 a.m.
Spartan Softball Stadium - San Jose, Calif.
Live Stats

LAST TIME OUT
The Gaels went 2-3 last weekend in the La Jolla Invitational as they went up against three different teams in five games. Although they struggled to put runs on the board in their first two games against Utah and UC San Diego, the Gaels offense cranked it up a notch against the Sacramento State Hornets. The Gaels performance allowed them to put up a total of 13 runs, the most so far for the Gaels in the 2022 season. Saint Mary's was able to respond to their first 6-2 loss against the Pac-12's University of Utah early in the weekend, coming back with a 1-0 win. With a run off the bat of Alex Casas in the very first inning, it was enough to keep the Gaels afloat to wrap up the weekend.

EXCELLENT EARLE
It's tough to ask for a better pitching performance than the one the Gaels got out of Sofia Earle on Sunday afternoon against Utah. Earle tossed her first shutout of the season, holding the Utes off the scoreboard through seven innings while allowing just three hits and striking out seven. She did allow eight walks, allowing for plenty of traffic on the base paths, but she worked around those in the 123-pitch complete game. Perhaps Utah's best chance to score off of Earle came in the first inning, when a bunt single, a walk, and two steals put runners at second and third with just one out. Earle got a strikeout and a lineout to end the threat and keep Utah off the board. In the fifth, Utah again was threatening, this time with the bases loaded and just one out. Earle then struck out the next two hitters to maintain the Gael lead. Earle struck out a total of 18 hitters over the 13 innings she tossed this weekend, and improved her record to 2-2.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Cal is currently holding onto a winning record early this 2022 season. With ten games under their belt, multiple Bears have outstanding performances on offense. Five different players have hit home runs this season, which includes junior Makena Smith holding the teams highest batting average at .517 with four home runs and an RBI of 13. 

The Cardinal are on the cusp of the Top-25, currently receiving votes in the most recent NFCA Poll. The team's ERA is at a low 1.35 through the two first two weeks of the season. Individually, both junior Alana Vawter and sophomore Regan Krause pitch with ease as Vawter has an ERA of 1.53 with 36.2 IP and Krause has just a 0.90 with 23.1 IP. Vawter also has pitched three completed games, two of which are shutouts.

The Gaels then move onto the weekend, facing Utah State in a doubleheader. Utah State has struggled in the circle this season as their team's ERA is at a high 7.54. Their offense has made up for their pitching struggles, as seven different players on Utah State hold a batting average of over .300, raising the team average to .321. 

Finally, the Gaels compete with a familiar face in the final day of the Silicon Valley Classic, the San Jose State Spartans. In an intense matchup against the Gaels earlier in the season, San Jose State fell short after taking the game to nine innings, losing 4-3. With an ERA of 0.58 and 12 innings pitched, the Spartan's pitcher, Jennessa Ullegue could be the highlight when facing the Gaels next. Ullegue has one completed game and has one shutout so far this season.