A quick three-and-out for both teams through the first two innings left each team scoreless going into the third inning.
In her first at-bat in the top of the third, Santa Clara freshman Ashley Haney homered to left field, putting the first score on the board for the Broncos. A single by Alyssa Jepsen, batting in Kristin Welsh, added a second run to the board and put Santa Clara up, 2-0, going into the fourth inning.
The Redhawks answered in kind in the top of the fourth inning, as a trio of doubles were enough to put two runs on the board for Seattle U. Becca Cable (Tacoma, Wash.) started off the inning with a double down the left field line, followed by a double by Jenny Hurst (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) to left center, scoring Cable. With two outs, Lisa Maulden (Maple Valley, Wash.) doubled to center field, scoring Hurst and tying the game, 2-2.
A quiet subsequent three innings on both sides, a testament to solid defense by both teams, ended regulation with a tie and sent the game into an eighth inning.
In the top of the eighth, Sarah Petosa (Auburn, Wash.) reached third base, but was stranded in scoring position to end the inning.
In Santa Clara's turn at bat, with one out, Briana Knight doubled to left field, batting in Jenna Krummen for the winning run and the Broncos came away with the victory.
Richelle Ashburn (Post Falls, Idaho) got her first start of the season and pitched the entire game for the Redhawks, allowing three runs on only four hits, while walking two and striking out seven. Ashburn set season-highs in innings pitched and strikeouts in today's contest. Her 7 1/3 innings pitched also ranked second in her career numbers for most innings pitched and seven strikeouts tied her career high.
Carissa Theis pitched the entire game for Santa Clara and came away with the win, allowing two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out 13 of 31 batters faced.
"Richelle threw a great game in her first start of the year," said head coach Dan Powers. "Our bats were silent, except when Becca, Jenny, and Lisa had three doubles to push across two runs. We just need to execute our fundamentals and make quicker adjustments at the plate."
Powers concluded, "I like the direction we are going and have a lot of confidence in our young team."
Seattle U (2-7) returns home for a doubleheader versus British Columbia in their home opener at Logan Field on Saturday, Mar. 3, starting at 1 p.m.