LONG BEACH, Calif. – A day delayed due to heavy California rainfall, the Gaels (1-5) played their first game of the Wilson Invitational, hosted by Long Beach State, taking on the Kansas Jayhawks (2-4). The Gaels allowed 10 hits and eight free passes in this one, but it was clutch pitching that kept things tight,as Saint Mary's was able to strand 10 Jayhawks on the basepaths. This allowed the Gaels to draw within two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the deficit would stay there, as Saint Mary's fell, 5-3. 

The Jayhawks opened up the scoring in this one, loading the bases with two out in the first before drawing a full count walk to move ahead 1-0. Starter Avrey Wolverton would battle back to strand the bases full and bring the Gaels to bat. Saint Mary's would draw level in the first, as Sam Buckley, batting in the leadoff spot, would open up the bottom of the first with a single, move over to second on a Camille Lara groundout, and score on an Alex Cutonilli RBI single, her then fifth RBI on the young season. 

After a one out hit batsman, followed by a single, Avrey Wolverton was lifted for Chelsea Bennett. Bennett allowed both inherited base runners to score, as well as one of her own before getting a huge boost from right fielder Kiah Silva, who gunned out a runner going from second to third from right field to end the second inning with the Gaels down 4-1. 

Bennett would hang up zeroes in the third and fourth innings, with some help from her catcher, Jenavee Amador, throwing out a pair of potential base stealers. She allowed the first two runners to reach in the fifth, forcing another call to the bullpen for freshman phenom Ella Thurman. Thurman got out of trouble unscathed in the fifth, but surrendered her first collegiate earned run in the sixth after allowing a leadoff triple, giving Kansas their largest lead of the night at 5-1. 

The Gaels punched back in the bottom of the sixth. Kiah Silva reached on an error to open up the inning. She was eliminated on a fielder's choice with Sam Buckley at the plate, but did enough to break up the double play. Buckley was run for by freshman Julia Medina, who promptly stole second base for her first collegiate stolen base. Camille Lara battled to a full count before singling to put runners at the corners, before Gael RBI queen Alex Cutonilli mashed a double, scoring both Medina and Lara to cut the deficit in half, bringing the tying run to the plate. Jenavee Amador would work a two out walk, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate, but both Cutonilli and Amador would end up stranded. 

Ella Thurman worked the lone 1-2-3 inning for the Gaels in the top of the seventh, and pinch hitter Braxton Brown would get on base with her second collegiate hit in the bottom of the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate with one away, but a Kiah Silva lineout and a Sam Buckley groundout would end things in favor of the Jayhawks.

Alex Cutonilli again was the driving force behind the Gael offense, with two hits and all three runs driven in. Sam Buckley, Camille Lara and Julia Medina (pinch running for Buckley) all scored in this one, with the former two each logging a base knock. Defensively, Kiah Silva and Jenavee Amador both were able to show of their cannon right arms, with Silva picking up her first collegiate outfield assist in right, and Amador throwing out two potential Jayhawk base stealers. 

UP NEXT  
The Gaels will play two tomorrow in Long Beach, first seeing Southern Utah at 11:30 AM before taking on host Long Beach State at 2 PM. 

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