MORAGA, Calif. — After playing one Broncos team for three games over the week, Saint Mary's softball got back to work on Monday afternoon with another matchup against the Broncos. Only this time, it was against Boise State in non-conference play. The Gaels had beaten Santa Clara three-straight times to move into a tie for first place in the WCC standings, but could not keep that momentum rolling against a hot Boise State squad. A couple of big swings put the Broncos ahead and they shut the door on a 5-2 win as the Gaels closed out their home stand. SMC is now 14-18 on the year while the Broncos improve to 24-12.
 
TWO IN INNING TWO
Saint Mary's only put one runner on base outside of the second inning, when SMC took the lead for the first time. Taylor Keinath opened the inning with a single, and two pitches later, Jenavee Amador ripped a double into the alley in right center to bring in Keinath, tying the game at 1-1. A groundout moved Amador to third where she was run for by Allyssa Alano, and she scored on a base hit down the left field line off the bat of Tori Cervantes. Her first collegiate RBI made it 2-1 Gaels and the game had the feel of one that could continue to tilt the way of the home team if their offense could keep it up. Unfortunately, the only runner they put on base the rest of the game came via an error in the seventh inning, as the Gaels were held without a hit from Lindsay Walljasper over the final five innings of the game.
 
TWO HITTER WRECKING BALL
Most of the damage on the day from Boise State came courtesy of Sydney Groves and Kelsey Hall, two of the more prolific power hitters in the Broncos lineup. It was Groves getting the visitors on the board first in the top of the second, with an opposite field home run to right off of Odhi Vasquez, making it 1-0 Boise State. In the top of the third, it was Hall's turn to get an RBI after doubling down the right field line. The Gaels throw coming into the diamond would have held the Broncos runner at third, but it hit one of the umpires, and that allowed the tying run to score.
 
The game would stay at 2-2 until the top of the fifth inning, when Groves came through against for the Broncos. Her two-out, two-strike double to left field over the head of Marissa Nishihara made it 4-2 Boise State and effectively put the game out of reach. She came around to score on a pinch-hit single from Abby Bumcrot, and that was all against Vasquez. The Gaels starter labored through 6.1 innings on the day, throwing 185 pitches, but did enough to keep the game close.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will head out on the road for their biggest series of the year this weekend when they take on LMU in Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday. The three-game series for sole possession of first place in the WCC begins with a doubleheader at noon on Saturday, followed by a single game at 11:00 am on Sunday.