Jan. 31, 2003
HILO, Hawaii - The Santa Clara University baseball team earned its first win of the season Friday afternoon as they took game one of the doubleheader with the University of Hawaii-Hilo by a 8-6 score in Hilo, Hawaii.
After posting only two runs on seven hits in the two combined games against Stanford last weekend, the Broncos began game one of the doubleheader with four runs on five hits in the top of the first inning, highlighted by Ryan Pierpont's two-run double down the right field line.
The Vulcans scored their first run in the bottom of the first inning on Joe Diefenderfer wild pitch, narrowing the SCU lead down to 4-1. The Broncos added a run in the third but Hawaii-Hilo scored three times in the bottom of the fourth inning, two of which came on Kaliko Oligo single to center field, cutting the Santa Clara down to 5-4.
Diefenderfer allowed four earned runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out eight in 3 2/3 innings of work. After Anthony Rea allowed only one hit in his 1 2/3 innings of relief, Patrick Overholt allowed the Vulcans to tie the score at five apiece in the sixth inning on a wild pitch. UHH took the lead soon thereafter when Kevin Drever stole third base and scored on a throwing error by Jim Wallace.
Michael Thompson and Eric Newton led off the seventh inning with singles and then each moved up one base when Pierpont's sacrifice bunt forced them over. After David Mandley struck out swinging, Michael Lange drew a two-out walk but not before a Joel Zimmerman wild pitch scored Thompson from third base to tie the score at six.
After UHH went down quietly in the seventh, Santa Clara mounted a small rally in the eighth inning after two consecutive singles and a pair of fielder's choices. With the bases loaded, however, Pierpont grounded into an inning ending double play.
The Vulcans stranded two runners in the bottom of the eighth, pushing the game to the ninth inning. Jack Headley led off the ninth inning with a bunt single and moved to second base on a Michael Lange sacrifice bunt. After A.J. LaBarbera walked, Headley moved up to third on a Jason Matteucci fielder's choice that forced LaBarbera out at second. Headley scored the go ahead run on a wild pitch that also moved Matteucci up to second base. A Matt McColgan single to right field scored Matteucci just one batter latter giving the Broncos an 8-6 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Chris Savio reached on a Newton error to begin the bottom of the ninth and moved to second on a Douglas Nassimbene single to left field. Both runners moved up one base on a Sean Tamura sacrifice bunt, but a Kevin Drever line drive was caught by the pitcher, Patrick Overholt, who then took the ball to second base to double up Nassimbene to end the game.
The Broncos improved to 1-2 on the season while the Vulcans fell to 2-11 on the year heading into game two.