Feb. 3, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Despite a strong outing from freshman Sean O'Neill in his collegiate debut, the Santa Clara University baseball team dropped a tough 4-1 decision Friday night to the University of Pacific Tigers in the 2006 season opener at Stephen Schott Stadium.
A three-run eighth inning lifted the Tigers (1-0) to victory, as an errant throw home on a Justin Baum grounder allowed the first two runs of the inning to score.
The game's first run came when Pacific's Ryan Glasgow scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the top of the second inning.
O'Neill and Pacific's Luke Massetti battled through the first six innings, allowing only six hits between them in that span. O'Neill was relieved with none out and the bases loaded in the seventh, but fellow freshman Justin Kuehn got a fielder's choice and then induced an inning-ending double play out of Joe Oliveira to keep the deficit at a run.
Feeding off of that momentum, the Bronco bats came alive in their half of the inning, as Kevin Drever led off with a double to left. Daniel Nava drew a base on balls and both then advanced on Jason Matteucci's sacrifice bunt.
Realini, behind in the count at 1-2, lined a single to left to square things at one-apiece.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Broncos threatened, loading the bases with the winning run at the plate, but Eric Newton's blast to center fell just short, as Pacific centerfielder Ramon Glasgow caught it at the warning track.
The Broncos and Tigers will now travel to Stockton Ballpark to play the final two games of this series. First pitch for both Saturday and Sunday's contests is set for 12 p.m.