Final Stats

SANTEE, Calif. - Western Carolina (7-14) dropped both games in opening day action at the Santa Clara Classic II falling to San Diego 5-4 and Santa Clara 9-7.

San Diego 5, Western Carolina 4

San Diego scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to come back from a 4-3 defeceit to defeat Western Carolina 5-4. The Toreros rallied with two outs to get a pair of base runners. Starting pitcher Jordan Garrett was relieved by junior Taylor Sigmon who gave up a walk to load the bases. A passed ball tied the game at four and a single RBI by San Diego ended the game.

Western Carolina hit the scoreboard first. Freshman Abigail Daniels led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Daniels scored thanks to an RBI by Kara Salvo.

Santa Clara tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the second when Olivia Sandusky hit a solo homerun.

Western Carolina has a big top of the third scoring three runs. Victoria Mariscal led off with a double and Salvo followed with a double to centerfield scoring Mariscal.

Sigmon followed with a two run homerun to left field. It was Sigmon's fifth homerun of the year.

San Diego cut the Catamount lead to 4-3 with its second homerun of the game - a two RBI shot by Kailey Hill.

Garrett takes the loss as her pair of runners charged to her scored in the bottom of the seventh before she was replaced by Sigmon. Garrett falls to 5-6 on the year. She gave up five runs on six hits and struck out seven.

Santa Clara 9, Western Carolina 7

In the first two innings, Santa Clara scored a pair of runs off a passed ball and a bases loaded walk to lead WCU 2-0. Western Carolina junior Crystal Cyr cut the Santa Clara lead to one, 2-1, when she hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the second.

Santa Clara tacked on its third run in as many innings when it scored a single run in the top of the third. Ashely Haney hit an RBI single to give the Broncos a 3-1 lead.

The Catamounts knotted the game at three in the bottom of the third. Junior center fielder Amber Kimrey led off with the first triple of her career. With one out,

Mariscal was hit by a pitch and Salvo reached on a fielder's choice. With bases loaded, Sigmon hit a two RBI single down the first base line. Salvo tried to leg out the hit and go home but was thrown out for the second out. Salvo lined out to end the bottom of the third inning.

Cyr hit her second homerun of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning to give WCU its first lead of the game, 4-3.

The Catamount lead was short-lived as a hit by a pitch and two straight walks loaded the bases for Santa Clara in the top of the seventh. The Broncos scored six runs to take the lead in the top of the seventh.

Western Carolina attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh but came up short. Daniels led off with a single and moved to third on a double by Salvo who was replaced by pinch runner Anna Hughey. Sigmon hit a two RBI single scoring Daniels and Hughey and scored herself from an RBI single by Courtney Price. A pair of Catamount ground outs ended the inning and the rally.

Buchanan had 12 walks in the game and takes the loss falling to 0-5 on the season. She gave up eight runs, five earned, on seven hits and struck out six.

For the second straight game, Sigmon came into the game in relief. She entered with one out and gave up one hit and struck out one.

Cyr was 3-for-3 in the game for Western Carolina with two homeruns and a double and two RBI.

Western Carolina will play BYU at noon EDT and Utah Valley at 5 p.m. EDT Saturday.