BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Saint Mary's Softball (7-5) once again demonstrated what a well rounded team they are, as they put on a brilliant display of pitcher, offense and defense in a day one sweep at the Welter Classic. The Gaels edged out a pair of one run contests over Montana (3-9) and host Cal State Bakersfield (2-8) showing fortitude in the face of adversity in both contests, staving off chance after chance for either team attempting to mount a comeback.

GAME ONE: SMC 4, Montana 3
The Gaels jumped out of the gates hot in this one, plating four in the first inning. There was a bit of a hiccup in the second and third innings, as the Grizzlies cut the deficit to one run, but Odhi Vasquez entered the game in relief of Avrey Wolverton, tossing five innings of one hit, shutout softball en route to her second victory of the season. 

EARLY ONSLAUGHT
The Gaels jumped all over the Grizzlies to open this one, plating four runs in the first frame. Hannah Ferguson opened the game with an infield single, then promptly stole second for the Gaels conference best 22nd swiped bag. Marissa Montelongo then walked on four pitches, and Taylor Lane flew out to deep right, advancing both runners. Sam Buckly would get out in front of a pitch and foul out to deep left, scoring Ferguson and advancing Montelongo to third for her team-high 13th RBI. Tori Cervantes laced her third triple of the season to the left center gap, trading places with Montelongo at third, and then was singled home herself by Jenavee Amador. Amador would advance to second on a wild pitch with Alex Cutonilli, in her first collegiate start, at the plate. Cutonilli, with two strikes, would shorten up her swing and slash a double down the right field line, scoring Amador, and chasing the Grizzlies starter from the game. In a blink of an eye, the Gaels were ahead by four runs. 

ODHI TO THE RESCUE
The Gaels named Avrey Wolverton their game one starter for the Welter Classic. Wolverton delivered a 1-2-3 first frame, and surrendered a solo shot before retiring the side in the second. In the third inning, however, she ran into some trouble, allowing another solo home run to open the inning, and allowing the next two runners to reach, one via a four pitch walk and another via a single. Gaels Head Coach Sonja Garnett went to her pen and selected sophomore Odhi Vasquez to relieve Wolverton. Vasquez plunked the first batter she faced to load the bases with no outs. She then induced an infield fly, and a strikeout to quickly turn the table from bases loaded no outs to bases loaded and two outs for Montana. She would walk in one of her inherited runners to bring the score to 4-3, but struck out the next batter to strand the bases full of Grizzlies. Following the third, Vasquez was stellar as ever, going the remaining four innings, surrendering just one hit and two more walks, while striking out three more, and surrendering no runs. While the Gaels offense was stymied after the first inning, the brilliant pitching of Vasquez kept the Gaels in front for their sixth win of the season. After today's performance, Vasquez has a team high 17 strikeouts and a team best 0.179 opponents batting average.   

GAME TWO: SMC 1, Bakersfield 0
The second game of the Welter Classic saw the Gaels locked in another pitchers duel, something they've become all too familiar with. Mia Nishikawa was brilliant in the circle, keeping the score level at zeroes long enough for Hannah Ferguson to provide the go-ahead hit in the seventh, plating Victoria Castillo. Nishikawa then slammed the door shut in the bottom of the seventh for her second complete game shutout in as many weeks. 

MORE ZEROES FOR NISHIKAWA
Freshman Mia Nishikawa got the nod in game two, and continues to show that she may not only be the best freshman pitcher, but the best pitcher in the WCC. Nishikawa tossed her second complete game shutout in as many weeks, spreading out four hits and one walk over her seven innings of work, and never allowing a runner to even reach third base. Nishikawa is no stranger to hanging up zeroes, as this was her fourth outing in which a run did not cross the plate against her. The freshman leads the Gaels with a 1.91 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, a 3-1 record and a strikeout to walk ratio of 4.67. 

HANNAH OUR HERO
As brilliant as Nishikawa was, Bakersfield's Anisa Reynolds was also strong in the circle, shutting out the Gaels through the first six innings. In the seventh however, the Gaels were able to scratch a run across with Reynolds in the circle, and that would prove to be the difference. With one away, Victoria Castillo walked, and was sacrificed to second by Camille Lara. That rolled the lineup over to leadoff hitter Hannah Ferguson, already with her second multi-hit ballgame of the day. Despite being a prototypical leadoff hitter, Ferguson looked comfortable with a runner in scoring position, as she laced a single just past the outstretched glove of the Roadrunner's thirdbaseman, plating Castillo for the eventual game winning run. Ferguson tallied five hits on day one of the Welter Classic, as the sophomore has seen her batting average climb to .395 over her recent four game hitting streak. Her 15 hits are the most amongst Gaels. 

UP NEXT
The Gaels will take on the same two squads tomorrow in day two of the Welter Classic. First pitch for the Gaels and Montana will be at 9 AM once again, with first pitch of game two between the Gaels and Bakersfield is scheduled for 11:30 AM.

#GaelsRise