March 8, 2003
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Despite two Will Thompson home runs, the Santa Clara University baseball team dropped an extra inning affair Saturday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium, falling to cross-town rival San Jose State by a 6-4 score in 10 innings.
After falling behind the Spartans (8-8) by a 2-0 score, the Broncos (8-14) clawed their way back in to the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking a 3-2 lead. Jim Wallace got things going with a solo home run to center field followed by Thompson who connected on his first home run of the day, a two-run shot to left center field scoring Michael Thompson ahead of him.
The lead was short-lived however, as SJSU came right back in the seventh inning and scored two runs of its own to take back the lead at 4-3. Both runs came off Chad Fillinger who looked good in his four innings of relief, giving up only two runs on five hits while striking out one and walking none.
Will Thompson connected on his second home run of the day in the bottom of the eighth inning, a high towering blast to straightaway center field that hit the top right quadrant of the batter's eye, tying the score at four.
Patrick Overholt, who came on and got the last out of the eighth inning, sent the Spartans down without scoring a run in the ninth inning, giving his team a shot at winning the game in the ninth.
Jose Amaya would have no part of that as he allowed only one hit in the ninth inning before registering the third out in the inning on A.J. LaBarbera. LaBarbera was only inches away from being the hero of the game as his line drive to right center field would have scored Matterucci from first base had center fielder Nate Corrick made a spectacular diving catch.
The 10th inning proved fatal for the Broncos as Nick Guerra led off with a solo home run for the Spartans in the top of the inning, giving them a one run lead. SJSU tacked on another run as an Aaron Bates double plated Jon Heuerman, giving then a 6-4 lead.
Andy Cook came on in the bottom of the 10th inning and retured all three batters he faced to record his third save of the year. Amaya moved to 1-1 on the season while Overholt took the loss and fell to 2-2 on the year for the Broncos.
These same two teams will conclude their three-game home and home series Sunday afternoon at Blethan Field on the campus of San Jose State. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.