The Three Time WCC Champion Gael Softball Class of 2026
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
Kroner's Corner Softball Edition: Once is Happenstance, Twice is Coincidence, Three Times is a Trend
5/6/2026 10:09:00 AM | Softball
At the end of March, the Saint Mary's softball team was riding a program-record 10-game winning streak and had opened West Coast Conference play with a three-game sweep of Pacific.
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What then happened in the first few days of April cemented the notion that the 2026 season would become a special one for the Gaels.
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"That weekend just really sealed the deal for me in terms of what we're capable of," SMC head coach Sonja Garnett said.
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In four games in the Stanford Round Robin event, the Gaels twice beat then-No. 14 Washington (extending their winning streak to 12 games), lost 6-1 to the Cardinal and finished the event by picking up a 5-1 victory over Stanford, which was ranked 24th.
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"That gave us a lot of confidence," outfielder Hannah Ferguson said.
Since then, the Gaels have gone 11-2, improving their overall record to 38-13. The 38 wins are a school record, and the 38th came Sunday at Cottrell Field when SMC closed its home schedule with a 6-1 victory over LMU.
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That win gave the Gaels a 13-2 conference record and clinched at least a tie for the WCC title for the third consecutive year.
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"I'm very happy with our team," Garnett said Sunday near the end of the title-clinching celebration in left field.
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Among the reasons for the Gaels to celebrate were several team and individual program records set this season, in addition to the wins and winning streak already mentioned:
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** An 18-game home winning streak that included the final three home games of 2025
** 28 career home runs by infielder Sam Buckley
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** 49 RBIs in a season by infielder Braxton Brown
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** 10 triples in a season and 15 triples in a career by Ferguson
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** 49 career wins by right-hander Odhi Vasquez
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"For her to have the ability to come out and perform consistently for us has just been huge," Garnett said of Vasquez.
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The senior is 18-4 with a 2.43 ERA and seven saves this season. She has racked up 128 strikeouts in 124 innings.
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Vasquez is "just a really hard worker," Garnett said. "She knows what her pitches should look like, she holds herself to a high standard and she competes every day for us."
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In turn, Vasquez credited Garnett for much of the individual and team success the Gaels have enjoyed in 2026.
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"I've never met somebody so passionate about the sport and so loving toward her players," Vasquez said. "I thank God every day for giving me such a loving and patient coach."
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Ferguson, who leads the Gaels with a .417 average this season and owns the program record for career stolen bases with 61, echoed Vasquez's sentiments about Garnett.
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"She really cares about us as athletes and as people," Ferguson said. "If anything, she cares about us as a person more than as an athlete -- and I think that really plays into our team culture."
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As rewarding and memorable as the 2026 season has been for the Gaels, it is by no means over. SMC plays a three-game series at Santa Clara beginning Thursday night. The Gaels need one win to earn the outright conference title and a berth in an NCAA regional the following week.
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And perhaps recalling that productive weekend at Stanford in early April, Garnett believes the Gaels could more than hold their own if they reach the postseason.
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"It's all about what we do," Garnett said. "You never know when your last game's going to be, but with this talent, I think we have the capability to go get some upsets on our way."
Steve Kroner has covered Bay Area sports for more than four decades, mainly at KPIX-TV (Channel 5) and the San Francisco Chronicle. He has worked as an analyst alongside Brian Brownfield on SMC men's basketball telecasts on ESPN+ the past two seasons.
Â
What then happened in the first few days of April cemented the notion that the 2026 season would become a special one for the Gaels.
Â
"That weekend just really sealed the deal for me in terms of what we're capable of," SMC head coach Sonja Garnett said.
Â
In four games in the Stanford Round Robin event, the Gaels twice beat then-No. 14 Washington (extending their winning streak to 12 games), lost 6-1 to the Cardinal and finished the event by picking up a 5-1 victory over Stanford, which was ranked 24th.
Â
"That gave us a lot of confidence," outfielder Hannah Ferguson said.
Since then, the Gaels have gone 11-2, improving their overall record to 38-13. The 38 wins are a school record, and the 38th came Sunday at Cottrell Field when SMC closed its home schedule with a 6-1 victory over LMU.
Â
That win gave the Gaels a 13-2 conference record and clinched at least a tie for the WCC title for the third consecutive year.
Â
"I'm very happy with our team," Garnett said Sunday near the end of the title-clinching celebration in left field.
Â
Among the reasons for the Gaels to celebrate were several team and individual program records set this season, in addition to the wins and winning streak already mentioned:
Â
** An 18-game home winning streak that included the final three home games of 2025
** 28 career home runs by infielder Sam Buckley
Â
** 49 RBIs in a season by infielder Braxton Brown
Â
** 10 triples in a season and 15 triples in a career by Ferguson
Â
** 49 career wins by right-hander Odhi Vasquez
Â
"For her to have the ability to come out and perform consistently for us has just been huge," Garnett said of Vasquez.
Â
The senior is 18-4 with a 2.43 ERA and seven saves this season. She has racked up 128 strikeouts in 124 innings.
Â
Vasquez is "just a really hard worker," Garnett said. "She knows what her pitches should look like, she holds herself to a high standard and she competes every day for us."
Â
In turn, Vasquez credited Garnett for much of the individual and team success the Gaels have enjoyed in 2026.
Â
"I've never met somebody so passionate about the sport and so loving toward her players," Vasquez said. "I thank God every day for giving me such a loving and patient coach."
Â
Ferguson, who leads the Gaels with a .417 average this season and owns the program record for career stolen bases with 61, echoed Vasquez's sentiments about Garnett.
Â
"She really cares about us as athletes and as people," Ferguson said. "If anything, she cares about us as a person more than as an athlete -- and I think that really plays into our team culture."
Â
As rewarding and memorable as the 2026 season has been for the Gaels, it is by no means over. SMC plays a three-game series at Santa Clara beginning Thursday night. The Gaels need one win to earn the outright conference title and a berth in an NCAA regional the following week.
Â
And perhaps recalling that productive weekend at Stanford in early April, Garnett believes the Gaels could more than hold their own if they reach the postseason.
Â
"It's all about what we do," Garnett said. "You never know when your last game's going to be, but with this talent, I think we have the capability to go get some upsets on our way."
Steve Kroner has covered Bay Area sports for more than four decades, mainly at KPIX-TV (Channel 5) and the San Francisco Chronicle. He has worked as an analyst alongside Brian Brownfield on SMC men's basketball telecasts on ESPN+ the past two seasons.
Players Mentioned
P/INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballRHP
/ SoftballSaturday, May 23
Sunday, May 17
Sunday, May 17
Sunday, May 17
