Baseball Drops Series Final to Gonzaga, 11-4

Baseball Drops Series Final to Gonzaga, 11-4

May 12, 2003

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team dropped its series finale with Gonzaga by a score of 11-4 Monday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium. The loss moves the Broncos' record to 28-26 overall and 18-9 in West Coast Conference play and eliminates them from any chance at the Coast Division title. The Bulldogs improved to 24-24-1 overall and 12-15 in WCC action.

Gonzaga jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings and increased that margin to 8-0 after plating five runs on four hits, highlighted by a bases clearing triple from Jeff Culpepper. Immediately following the inning, the game was stopped for 25 minutes as emergency medical services were called into duty to attend to Gonzaga head coach Steve Hertz. The game resumed after Hertz was taken to the hospital. Details on his condition were not made available.

Following the pause in the game, the Bulldogs remained remarkably calm and focused, adding another run in the sixth and two more in the eighth on a two-run home run by Gordon Corder, extending their lead to 11-0.

Santa Clara got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the eighth inning as pinch hitter Eric Newton drew a walk and came home on a Scott Dierks RBI groundout.

The Broncos added three more in the ninth, two of which came on a Michael Lange single, the other coming on a RBI single to center by Dierks.

Patrick Donovan improved to 2-4 on the season for the Bulldogs as he went eight full innings in which he allowed only one run on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Nate Williams completed the game for the Zags despite giving up three runs on four hits with two walks in the ninth inning.

John Redmond fell to 5-5 on the year as he allowed six runs on 10 hits to go along with one walk and four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings on the mound. Joe Diefenderfer saw his first action on the mound in nearly three weeks, he allowed two runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings that included one strikeout. Anthony Rea gave up two runs on two hits in the eighth inning while Patrick Overholt looked good in the ninth, allowing only one hit and striking out one.

With the Bronco loss, Pepperdine clinches the WCC Coast Division Title with their 22-5 record heading into the final weekend of play. They will finish their regular season at Gonzaga before hosting West Division Champion San Diego in a best two out of three game series in Malibu, Calif., on May 23-25.

Santa Clara will conclude their 2003 regular season at home next weekend as they welcome Saint Mary's to Buck Shaw Stadium for a three-game series. Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. while Saturday and Sunday's games will begin at 1 p.m. The Broncos will honor their nine outgoing seniors prior to the first pitch on Sunday.