Feb. 28, 2003
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team dropped its series opener with Cal Poly by a score of 11-3 Friday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Cal Poly (8-7) got a pretty good glimpse of what their day would be like in the first inning, scoring two unearned runs with two outs in the inning. Sam Herbert led off with a walk and was moved to second on a bunt single by Scott Anderson. Santa Clara (7-10) starter Matt Travis got the next two outs in relatively easy fashion and looked like he would escape the inning unharmed. Chalon Tietje appeared to have grounded into an inning ending 6-3, but an errant throw by Michael Thompson allowed Herbert and Anderson to score.
Alex Chavarria led off the fourth inning with a big blast over the right field fence but it was in the fifth and eighth innings that Cal Poly put away the game. A throwing error by Jack Headley allowed an unearned run in the fifth while a fielding error by reliever Thomas Van Buskirk allowed two more unearned runs in the six-run eighth inning.
The Broncos could never really get anything going off Mustang starter Tyler Fitch, who improved to 3-2 on the season after throwing eight full innings in which he allowed only two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and only one walk. Both runs given up were on solo home runs by Scott Shapiro and Jim Wallace.
Will Thompson extended his hitting streak to four games with an RBI double in the ninth inning, scoring Scott Dierks who picked up a pinch-hit single earlier in the inning. Wallace's first home run of the season came in the seventh inning, pushing his hitting streak to five games. Shapiro's home run in the second inning was also his first of the season.
Travis fell to 1-3 on the season after throwing five innings in which he allowed five runs, only two of which were earned, on six hits with two walks and two punchouts. Chad Fillinger allowed four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief, while Van Buskirk gave up two unearned runs on two hits in four batters faced. Patrick McBride, like Van Buskirk, made his first appearance of the season and did not allow a hit in 1 1/3 innings.
In addition to Chavarria's home run in the fourth inning, he also had a double and a single that gave him three additional RBI in the game. Anderson also notched three hits while Pat Breen picked up a pair of hits to go along with his two RBI and one run scored. Tony Saipe came on in relief of Fitch in the ninth inning and gave up one run on two hits with one strikeout.
Santa Clara and Cal Poly will play game two of its three-game series on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Buck Shaw Stadium. Sunday's series finale is also scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.