Broncos Top @BearsSoftball on Saturday Afternoon

Saturday, February 23

Santa Clara, Calif.

12:30 pm

University of Northern Colorado

1-11

Santa Clara

2-8

Northern Colorado

Santa Clara

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

2/23/2019 3:25:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Northern Colorado fell to host Santa Clara in six innings

By: Matthew Kushar, UNCBears.com

SANTA CLARA, Calif.- Northern Colorado softball fell to Santa Clara, 9-1, in the first of two games that the teams will play this weekend. UNC scored first, but could not keep momentum on their side and the Broncos ended the game early in the sixth inning.

Freshman Taylor Puga made her first career start for the Bears. In the circle, opposite of Puga, was Santa Clara's Regan Dias.

The day started well for UNC in the first, as Kenzie Kudrna would single and then stole second to put a runner into scoring position. Mady Young lined a ball down the left field line for a double to score Kudrna and the Bears raced out to a 1-0 lead.

Santa Clara struck back in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs on two hits to take the lead from UNC, 3-1.

Puga settled into a groove the next two innings and held the Broncos off the scoreboard.

Santa Clara would separate from the Bears in the bottom of the fourth, with a four run inning and the lead was up to 7-1. Maggie Thurston was called on to relive Puga in the circle during the inning.

UNC looked to get back in the game in the top of the fifth as Natalie Joyner singled and Madi Schmidt was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. The Broncos made a pitching change as Lauren Anderson replaced Dias. After a UNC foul out, Young singled to load the bases for the Bears. Anderson worked out of the bases loaded situation with a fly out.

In the bottom of the sixth, Santa Clara started the inning with a single and double to put runners on second and third with nobody out and leading 7-1. A wild pitch from Thurston allowed one run to score, followed by an RBI single ended the game early.

Santa Clara won the game 9-1 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs on three hits. Puga suffered the loss, going 3.2 innings and allowing six earned runs on seven hits. Dias earned the win after pitching 4.1 innings with one earned run and allowing five hits.

Game Notes

Mady Young tallied her first multi-hit game, going two-for-three with one double. Young also recorded her first RBI of the season in the first inning. On the season, Young leads the team with three doubles. Young also leads the team with 27 assists, adding three more today.
Kenzie Kudrna stole her first base of the season and it was also the team's first stolen bag as well. The steal helped move her in position to score her team-leading fourth run of the season. Kudrna finished the day going one-for-three and leads the team with 12 hits this season, for a .364 average.

Next Up
Northern Colorado has two more games in the Silicon Valley Classic, starting with Utah State at 10 am MST, followed by game two against Santa Clara at 12:30 pm or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.