Sunday, March 1
Davis, CA
12:30 PM (ET) / 9:30 AM (PT)
Sacred Heart
2-7
4
vs
5
Santa Clara
9-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Sacred Heart
0
0
2
0
0
1
1
4
11
3
Santa Clara
0
1
0
3
0
1
X
5
5
2
Softball Drops Pair of One Run Games to Close Capital City Classic
3/1/2026 11:54:00 PM | Softball
SHU battled Santa Clara and UC Davis tough on Sunday
DAVIS, Calif. – The Sacred Heart University softball team dropped a pair of one-run games to close the Capital City Classic on Sunday afternoon in Davis, Calif. The Pioneers opened the day with a 5-4 setback against Santa Clara before dropping a 2-1 pitchers' duel against UC Davis in the nightcap.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (2-8)
Santa Clara (9-12)
UC Davis (11-8)
Game 1: Santa Clara 5, SHU 4
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 1-3 record)
Avery Seva (SC) - (2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run)
Kendal Manley (SC) - (0.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run)
Cari Ferguson (SC) - (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 5-5 record)
Top Performers:
Sam Kowalski – 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 double
Charlene Davis – 3-4, 2 RBIs, 1 double
How It Happened:
The Broncos struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning after both teams went scoreless in the first.
SHU answered in the top of the third inning, plating two to take a 2-1 lead. With Cierra B on after a single up the middle, Sam Kowalski tallied SHU's first RBI of the day with a double to left field. Charlene Davis followed in the next at-bat with a single to plate Kowalski to make it 2-1 SHU.
Santa Clara responded by scoring three unanswered runs, gaining a 4-2 advantage as the sixth inning approached.
In the sixth, Davis led off with a double, setting up a Katherine Burras double that narrowed the deficit to 4-3.
The Broncos extended their lead to 5-3, but SHU rallied in the seventh by quickly loading the bases. Davis made it 5-4 with a single and no outs, yet a Santa Clara pitching change helped the Broncos escape and secure the win.
Emily Heath threw all 6.0 innings in the opener for SHU and finished with three earned runs.
Game 2: UC Davis 2, SHU 1
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 5 strikeouts, 1-5 record)
Caroline Grimes (Davis) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 7 strikeouts, 6-5 record)
Top Performers:
Elle Leckrone – 3-3
Ella Stoops – 1-3, 1 double
How It Happened:
After two scoreless innings to start the nightcap, SHU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. The Pios loaded the bases with one out before Alexa Barbera drove in Bender with a sac fly.
UC Davis then answered, scoring one run in the fourth and another in the fifth to gain a 2-1 advantage that held for the rest of the contest.
Although Sacred Heart outhit UC Davis 5-4, the Pioneers could not find another run to tie it. They put runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Aggies held firm to claim a 2-1 home victory.
Kowalski was outstanding against UC Davis, throwing all 6.0 innings for SHU, allowing one earned run, while striking out five batters.
Notes:
Ella Stoops collected her first collegiate extra-base hit in game two.
Leckrone and Kowalski tallied a hit in all but one game in California.
Kowalski is three hits away from 100 in her career.
Davis tallied season highs of three hits and two RBIs in game one.
Up Next:
SHU stays in California for a doubleheader at Saint Mary's on Tuesday, March 3, at Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif., at 4 and 6:30 p.m. ET.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (2-8)
Santa Clara (9-12)
UC Davis (11-8)
Game 1: Santa Clara 5, SHU 4
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 1-3 record)
Avery Seva (SC) - (2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run)
Kendal Manley (SC) - (0.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run)
Cari Ferguson (SC) - (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 5-5 record)
Top Performers:
Sam Kowalski – 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 double
Charlene Davis – 3-4, 2 RBIs, 1 double
How It Happened:
The Broncos struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning after both teams went scoreless in the first.
SHU answered in the top of the third inning, plating two to take a 2-1 lead. With Cierra B on after a single up the middle, Sam Kowalski tallied SHU's first RBI of the day with a double to left field. Charlene Davis followed in the next at-bat with a single to plate Kowalski to make it 2-1 SHU.
Santa Clara responded by scoring three unanswered runs, gaining a 4-2 advantage as the sixth inning approached.
In the sixth, Davis led off with a double, setting up a Katherine Burras double that narrowed the deficit to 4-3.
The Broncos extended their lead to 5-3, but SHU rallied in the seventh by quickly loading the bases. Davis made it 5-4 with a single and no outs, yet a Santa Clara pitching change helped the Broncos escape and secure the win.
Emily Heath threw all 6.0 innings in the opener for SHU and finished with three earned runs.
Game 2: UC Davis 2, SHU 1
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 5 strikeouts, 1-5 record)
Caroline Grimes (Davis) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 7 strikeouts, 6-5 record)
Top Performers:
Elle Leckrone – 3-3
Ella Stoops – 1-3, 1 double
How It Happened:
After two scoreless innings to start the nightcap, SHU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. The Pios loaded the bases with one out before Alexa Barbera drove in Bender with a sac fly.
UC Davis then answered, scoring one run in the fourth and another in the fifth to gain a 2-1 advantage that held for the rest of the contest.
Although Sacred Heart outhit UC Davis 5-4, the Pioneers could not find another run to tie it. They put runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Aggies held firm to claim a 2-1 home victory.
Kowalski was outstanding against UC Davis, throwing all 6.0 innings for SHU, allowing one earned run, while striking out five batters.
Notes:
Ella Stoops collected her first collegiate extra-base hit in game two.
Leckrone and Kowalski tallied a hit in all but one game in California.
Kowalski is three hits away from 100 in her career.
Davis tallied season highs of three hits and two RBIs in game one.
Up Next:
SHU stays in California for a doubleheader at Saint Mary's on Tuesday, March 3, at Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif., at 4 and 6:30 p.m. ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ferguson, Cari (5-5)
L: Heath, Emily (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Davis, Charlene 1 ; Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Burras, Katherine 1
RBI: Davis, Charlene 2 ; Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Burras, Katherine 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bender, Cierra 1 ; Brown, Jess 1 ; Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Lichtenberger, Ava 1
HBP: Bibbo, Olivia 1
Batting:
2B: Rubio, Rebecca 1 ; Balmediano, Robynn 1
RBI: Graham, Audrey 1 ; Merlino, Elle 1 ; Kowaleski, Cienna 1
SH: Balmediano, Robynn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Graham, Audrey 1 ; Gray, Hazyl 1 ; Balmediano, Robynn 1 ; Clements, Taryn 1 ; Krotine, Claire 1
SB: Graham, Audrey 1 ; Kowaleski, Cienna 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballP/INF
/ SoftballP/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballSaige Harper Paris 2024
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