Jan. 25, 2003
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team began its 2003 season with a 7-2 loss to No. 3 Stanford Saturday afternoon in front of 1,390 fans inside Buck Shaw Stadium.
The Cardinal (1-0) began the game with one run in the top of the first inning when Ryan Garko singled home Carlos Quentin. They followed that inning with a two-run inning in the top of the third on another RBI single by Garko and a RBI triple by John Mayberry, Jr.
After Stanford added a fourth run in the fourth inning, Santa Clara (0-1) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI single by Shawn Epidendio, scoring Jim Wallace from third base who reached on a single down the left field line.
The Broncos added their second run in the bottom of the sixth inning when David Mandley scored A.J. LaBarbera from third base on a routine groundout to the shortstop. LaBarbera reached third base after singling down the left field line to begin the inning and advancing when Jim Wallace was hit by a pitch and a John Hudgins wild pitch.
Santa Clara would get no closer as the Cardinal added one run in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth inning to secure the win.
John Hudgins picked up the win for Stanford after throwing six full innings in which he allowed only two runs on five hits to go with six strikeouts. Ryan McCally picked up the save after throwing three innings of relief in which he allowed only one hit.
Joe Diefenderfer took the loss for the Broncos, giving up four runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings of work. Anthony Rea threw 3 1/3 innings of solid relief, allowing no runs on only one hit to go along with two strikeouts.
Garko and Putnam led the way for Stanford with each player going 3-for-5 with two RBI. Brian Hall and Quentin each had two hits, while Hall, Mayberry, Jr. and Ash each added one run batted in.
Jim Wallace went 2-for-3 on the day for the Broncos while A.J. LaBarbera and freshman Jason Matteucci each went 1-for-4.
The Broncos and Cardinal play the second game of the home-and-home weekend series tomorrow afternoon at Stanford's Sunken Diamond. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.