Jan. 26, 2003
STANFORD, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team lost its second straight game to open the 2003 season, falling to No. 3 Stanford by a 5-0 score in front of 1,636 fans in Sunken Diamond Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinal (2-0) scored twice in the second inning on a Donny Lucy groundout RBI and Danny Putnam's second home run of the season the very next at bat. They added one run in the fifth inning on a Jonny Ash RBI fielder's choice.
With the score at 3-0 in favor of Stanford in the eighth inning, the Cardinal extended their lead to the eventual final score of 5-0 after two Bronco errors allowed both runs.
The Santa Clara (0-2) offense was held in check all day by the pitching duo of Tim Cunningham and Matt Manship. Cunningham went 5 2/3 innings in which he did not allow a hit while striking out four and walking six to pick up the win. Manship collected the save after throwing 3 1/3 innings and allowing only one hit while striking out three.
The lone hit from the Broncos came in the top of the ninth inning when freshman Eric Newton broke up the no-hitter with a two-out single to center field on the first pitch he saw in his collegiate career.
Starting pitcher Matt Travis threw well for the Broncos, allowing only three runs on five hits in six full innings of work to go along with two strikeouts. John Redmond and Patrick Overholt each allowed one unearned run in their time on the mound while Scott Shapiro made an immediate impact in his Santa Clara debut. Shapiro got the final two outs for Santa Clara on a flyout and an impressive strikeout to end the eighth.
The Broncos return to action next weekend with a four-game series at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. Santa Clara and the Vulcans will play a doubleheader on Friday in Hilo, followed by two single games on Saturday and Sunday in Kona. The first game on Friday and each game on Saturday and Sunday are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Pacific time.