Newton's Double Lifts Broncos To Victory

Newton's Double Lifts Broncos To Victory

Feb. 10, 2006

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Heading into the 2006 season the plan for the Santa Clara baseball team was to have the senior leadership lead in the field and at the plate. Friday night this plan came to fruition as senior Eric Newton's RBI double in the eighth inning gave the Broncos a 4-3 win over the San Diego State Aztecs at Stephen Schott Stadium.

Freshman Sean O'Neill tossed seven innings of five-hit ball, allowing only three runs before turning the ball over to Daniel DeMarco and Mark Willinsky. DeMarco, who evened his record at 1-1, struck out a pair of Aztecs in getting out of a two-on, none-out jam, while Willinsky earned his first collegiate save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Daniel Nava and Michael Lange led the Broncos with a pair of hits apiece, while Kris Watts reached base in all four of his plate appearances with three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

The Broncos fell behind 3-0 after the top of the fifth as a Quintin Berry single plated a pair of runs for the Aztecs. SCU answered with a run in their half of the fifth, and equalized in the sixth as a Kevin Drever single followed by a Lange sacrifice drove in a pair of runs.

After DeMarco got out of his jam in the eighth, Santa Clara only needed two at-bats to take the lead. Nava led things off with a single and Newton, after initially showing bunt, pulled his bat back and crushed a double over Aztec left-fielder Curt Mendoza to score the eventual game-winning run.

The Broncos and Aztecs continue this three-game series tomorrow and Sunday with a couple of 1 p.m. contests at Stephen Schott Stadium.