Softball Opens Weekend with 9-4 Win Over UC Davis

Friday, March 1

San Diego, Calif. (USD Softball Complex)

12:30 p.m. MT

Boise State

11-2

UC Davis

11-4

Boise State

UC Davis

Softball vs Jan Jose State, Aaron Bacus Photo

Photo by: Boise State Photo Services

3/1/2019 5:52:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Mancha gets save as Boise State scores four runs in third, seventh innings; win streak pushed 10-straight

By: Nate Lowery

SAN DIEGO, Calif.— Timely hitting powered the Boise State softball team to their 10th-straight win, Friday at the USD Softball Complex. The Broncos scored four runs in both the top of the third and top of the seventh innings to open the San Diego Classic with a 9-4 win over UC Davis.

The 10-straight wins are tied for the second-longest streak in program history. The Broncos are two wins shy of tying the 2011 team for the program's longest winning-streak at 12 games (Feb. 25 – March 13).

Is a 10-win streak good?

It sounds good. https://t.co/XroMuQCMyl
— OBNUG (@OBNUG) March 1, 2019

With a one-run lead heading into the top of the seventh inning, Boise State (11-2) looked to provide relief pitcher Gianna Mancha with some breathing room against the Aggies (11-4). The Broncos gave the sophomore more than enough breathing room, scoring four runs for a five-run lead.

With one out in the inning, Ashlyn Adams hit a triple along the right field line – her second triple of the season – to put a runner in scoring position for Boise State. Karlee Johnson singled up the middle to bat the run in, opening the floodgates for the Broncos. On the next at-bat, Serena Huchingson reached first on a fielder's choice to third base. The play went to second, but the ball was thrown outside the reach of the second baseman, going deep into the outfield. Johnson and Huchingson had more than enough time to reach home safely to give Boise State a four-run lead.

T7 | Huch. Is. Clutch.@Serena_huch24 hits a ground ball to the third baseman, and her and @karlosburritos get across the plate after the ball is thrown to the right field fence!#BleedBlue
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) March 1, 2019

Later in the inning, Kora Wade reached first on an error by UC Davis' catcher. The senior was able to steal second on Rebekah Cervantes' at-bat to put another runner in scoring position. Cervantes would single to give Boise State runners on the corners.

During Jessica McKay's at-bat, the Broncos executed a double steal to score Wade from third and push the lead to five runs.

Mancha, who earned the save in 2.2 inning of relief, allowed one batter on a walk in the bottom of the seventh but struck out the final batter to end the game. Mancha allowed only two hits and one walk in her appearance for her first save of the season.

Boise State battled back from a one-run deficit at the end of the first inning by scoring three runs in the top of the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Alison Seng hit a single into right field. The ball was not fielded cleanly, giving the Broncos enough time to empty the bases and advance Seng to third. The sophomore scored on the next at-bat thanks to a sacrifice fly to left field from Bradie Fillmore.

UC Davis would close the gap, scoring runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. They threatened starting pitcher Kelsey Broadus with a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning. Broadus would induce a fly ball into the left field foul territory for an out, but walked the next batter to bring a run across. Boise State would bring Mancha in relief, who induced a 4-6-3 double play on the first batter she faced to end the inning.

E5 | Broncos limit the damage! UC Davis grounds into a 463 double play to end the inning! Broncos lead this one, 5-3!#BleedBlue
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) March 1, 2019

"The team did a nice job today putting pressure on the defense and executing," head coach Maggie Livreri said. "I thought Gianna did a great job coming into a high-pressure situation with poise to get us out of the fifth inning."

Despite the finding herself in the jam, Broadus earned the win for the Broncos to improve to 6-0 on the season. The reigning conference pitcher of the year continues to improve for Boise State, as she didn't earn her sixth win until March 18 during the 2018 season.

Alongside the timely pitching from the duo of Broadus and Mancha, Boise State had five different players finish the day with multiple hits. Cervantes and Johnson both finished the day 3-for-4, while Adams (2-for-4), Seng (2-for-4) and Wade (2-for-5) had two hits. Both Seng and Wade finished the day with two runs.

Boise State will continue the weekend with games against Long Beach State and UIC on Saturday. The Broncos prevailed over Long Beach State earlier this season in a 4-3 victory, while this will be the first game against UIC in program history.