SB | Sonja Garnett Earns Career Win #200 as Gaels Pile it on Against Aggies

Thursday, April 4

Davis, CA

3:00 pm

Saint Mary's College of California

20-14

UC Davis

12-18

Saint Mary's

UC Davis

Sonja Garnett 200th Win Celebration Photo

SB | Sonja Garnett Earns Career Win #200 as Gaels Pile it on Against Aggies

4/4/2024 7:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. — For the 200th time in her illustrious coaching career, a Sonja Garnett led softball team picked up a victory, as the Gaels (20-14) provided plenty of offensive fireworks in an 11-2 victory over UC Davis (12-18). The Gaels plated four before having to take the field, and cruised to their second victory over the Aggies at La Rue Field this season.

After being limited to three or fewer runs in each of their last seven contests, the Gaels scratched across four in the first inning of this one. With one away in the opening frame, Camille Lara slapped a single through the 5-6 hole, and Marissa Montelongo and Sam Buckley were both plunked to load the bases. Jenavee Amador stepped up to the plate and pulled a double into the the left centerfield gap, firing the opening salvo to push the Gaels ahead 2-0. Freshman Alex Cutonilli was the next up and laced a single down the right field line, plating Montelongo and Buckley, and in the blink of an eye, the Gaels led 4-0.

Starter Mia Nishikawa's only trouble came in the bottom of the first, when the Aggies pushed two across (one earned) to cut their early deficit in half. In the second however, a combination of Gaels hitting and four defensive miscues by the Aggies plated five more runs for the Gaels. Victoria Castillo led of the inning with a single pulled sharply down the left field line. Hannah Ferguson then launched a triple to right field, taking advantage of a hefty shift that the Aggies put on to prevent a slap hit. Camille Lara grounded Ferguson home to restore the Gael lead to four, as the bases cleared with one away. Starting up another rally, Marissa Montelongo reached on a bunt single, and came all the way around to score on a ball bobbled by both the shortstop and center fielder of Davis off the bat of Sam Buckley. This hit chased the Aggies starter from the game, but the Gaels continued to do damage at the plate. Jenavee Amador reached on an error committed by the new pitcher, and with two away, Sam Buckley stole third to put runners at the corners. Tori Cervantes reached on an error to her opposite number at short, plating Buckley, and Taylor Lane would cap the scoring for the Gaels in the second with and RBI looper to left that scored Amador.

Both team's found their footing from there in the pitching and defense realms, with zeroes hung up until a lightning delay halted the game for 40 minutes before the start of the sixth inning. Both teams returned to form after the delay, until the top of the seventh, when the Gaels offense struck again. Claudia Kirchner stepped up as a pinch hitter in front of her hometown fans, and launched a triple to right field. Another pinch hitter, Lindsay Cabral, took the first pitch she saw to right field for an RBI double. These were both the first hits of the season for Kirchner and Cabral respectively. Camille Lara would re-enter to run for Cabral, and Sam Buckley would eventually single her home for with two away, bringing the tally to 11-2. Avrey Wolverton, who entered the game in the fifth in relief of Nishikawa, slammed the door shut in the seventh, earning the three inning save, her second save of the campaign.

After struggling in each of her last four outings, Mia Nishikawa returned to form, rebounding from a two run first to hang up zeroes in the second, third and fourth innings, and earning her team-high eighth victory of the season. After recording a pair of hits yesterday, freshman Alex Cutonilli logged two more today, driving in two as well. She finished her week going 4-8 at the plate, and bringing her average up from .297 to .319. The win marked Head Coach Sonja Garnett's 200th as a head coach between her time at Academy of Art (110 wins) and Saint Mary's (90 wins).

The Gaels will open WCC play in their next contests, as they return home for a four game set with Pacific, starting Friday, April 12 at 3 PM.

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