Thursday, May 7
Santa Clara, CA
6:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
at
Santa Clara
Photo by: Ryan Barnett / SMC Athletics
SB | Gaels Head to Santa Clara Needing One Win to Lock Up NCAA Regional Berth
5/5/2026 4:00:00 PM | Softball
MORAGA, Calif. — With countless records already smashed this season, the Saint Mary's softball team has one more hurdle to clear this year to make its way into the NCAA postseason for the third time in program history, a win over Santa Clara. The Gaels already locked up a share of the West Coast Conference title for the third consecutive year, and need just one more win to make it an outright title and punch their ticket to an NCAA Regional.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Thursday, May 7 at 6 PM
Santa Clara Softball Stadium – Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Friday, May 8 at 7 PM
Santa Clara Softball Stadium – Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Saturday, May 9 at 1 PM
Santa Clara Softball Stadium – Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
AN EPIC RIVALRY
In the history of Saint Mary's Softball, the Gaels have played no team more than their rival to the west, the Santa Clara Broncos. 165 times these two squads have squared off, with the Gaels holding a 102-63 advantage over the Broncos. That said, the Broncos have made significant strides in recent history, winning 14 of the last 25 meetings. The rivalry came to a head last year, with the two teams sharing the West Coast Conference title, but Santa Clara earning the conference's automatic qualification due to winning the tie breaker against the Gaels in a 2-1 series in Moraga. The Gaels will look to exact revenge this year in Santa Clara, needing just one win of three to earn the AQ this year.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
...and then there were two. Santa Clara is the only team standing in the way of Saint Mary's and its second trip to the NCAA Regionals in three years. The Broncos sit in second place in the WCC, trailing the Gaels by three games, meaning that in order for the Broncos to clinch a share of the WCC Title and their second straight trip to Regionals, they would need to sweep the Gaels. Coming into the weekend, the Broncos hold a 25-23 overall record along with their 10-5 conference record, and are fresh off of a road sweep of the Seattle U Redhawks. Head Coach Gina Carbonatto arrived at Santa Clara just a year after Sonja Garnett came to Moraga, and the two have created quite the Bay Area rivalry, with the two teams splitting their eight matchups with these two coaches at the helm. The preseason WCC favorite Broncos are once again led by their defending WCC Player of the Year Cairah Curran, who is batting at .354 with 34 runs scored and 28 stolen bases. In the circle, they returned the defending WCC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year Cari Ferguson, who has paired nicely with freshman hurler Ellison Schroeder, as the duo has recorded 40 of 48 starts in the circle for the Broncos and 22 of their 25 wins. These three meetings will mark the 166th, 167th and 168th all-time meetings between these two rivals, with the Gaels leading the all-time series 102-63.
#GaelsRise
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Thursday, May 7 at 6 PM
Santa Clara Softball Stadium – Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Friday, May 8 at 7 PM
Santa Clara Softball Stadium – Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
Saint Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara Broncos
Saturday, May 9 at 1 PM
Santa Clara Softball Stadium – Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
AN EPIC RIVALRY
In the history of Saint Mary's Softball, the Gaels have played no team more than their rival to the west, the Santa Clara Broncos. 165 times these two squads have squared off, with the Gaels holding a 102-63 advantage over the Broncos. That said, the Broncos have made significant strides in recent history, winning 14 of the last 25 meetings. The rivalry came to a head last year, with the two teams sharing the West Coast Conference title, but Santa Clara earning the conference's automatic qualification due to winning the tie breaker against the Gaels in a 2-1 series in Moraga. The Gaels will look to exact revenge this year in Santa Clara, needing just one win of three to earn the AQ this year.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
...and then there were two. Santa Clara is the only team standing in the way of Saint Mary's and its second trip to the NCAA Regionals in three years. The Broncos sit in second place in the WCC, trailing the Gaels by three games, meaning that in order for the Broncos to clinch a share of the WCC Title and their second straight trip to Regionals, they would need to sweep the Gaels. Coming into the weekend, the Broncos hold a 25-23 overall record along with their 10-5 conference record, and are fresh off of a road sweep of the Seattle U Redhawks. Head Coach Gina Carbonatto arrived at Santa Clara just a year after Sonja Garnett came to Moraga, and the two have created quite the Bay Area rivalry, with the two teams splitting their eight matchups with these two coaches at the helm. The preseason WCC favorite Broncos are once again led by their defending WCC Player of the Year Cairah Curran, who is batting at .354 with 34 runs scored and 28 stolen bases. In the circle, they returned the defending WCC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year Cari Ferguson, who has paired nicely with freshman hurler Ellison Schroeder, as the duo has recorded 40 of 48 starts in the circle for the Broncos and 22 of their 25 wins. These three meetings will mark the 166th, 167th and 168th all-time meetings between these two rivals, with the Gaels leading the all-time series 102-63.
#GaelsRise
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