SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Santa Clara (14-21) jumped out to an early lead but was unable to hold off the comeback by San Francisco (19-20) in the second game of the weekend series. Brock Simon (3-5) got the loss by allowing four runs on four hits in 4.1 innings in relief of Powel Fansler who allowed five runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings.
Herbst and Justin Viele hit back-to-back singles to open the game for the Broncos. After a fielder's choice, Patrick Terry singled to right field to load the bases. Drew Ozanne cleared the bases with a two-out double and scored on Zach Looney's single down the right field line. Blake Leyva was unable to extend the inning with a groundout to third.
In the blink of an eye Powell Fansler allowed back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the first and make the score 4-1. After a bunt single advanced the runner to third, Balog grounded out to third base, knocking in the second San Francisco run of the inning. Fansler got a fly out to end the inning.
Stephen Takahashi led off the inning by reaching on an error. Herbst took advantage of the miscue and doubled home Takahashi to put Santa Clara back up by four runs. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Viele, Herbst was thrown out trying to score on Kyle DeMerritt's grounder to second. Patrick Terry ended the inning by popping out.
For the second inning in a row, the Dons started the inning with a double. Barry grounded out to advance the runner to third. Fansler got Garcia to line out but was unable to keep a run off the board when Lavin doubled down the right field line. Bernatz flied out to center, stranding the runner on second.
After a 1-2-3 top of the third the Dons struck again with a leadoff double by Yarrow. Back-to-back one out singles by Balog and Higgs cut the Bronco lead to 5-4. A passed ball put both runners in scoring position but Fansler was able to pitch around the trouble and did not allow anymore runs to score in the inning.
Takahashi singled up the middle and stole second in the top half of the fourth inning but could not advance any further as the inning ended on Viele's foul out to the catcher.
Fansler recorded two quick outs to start the home half of the fourth but Bernatz hit a two-out single to right field and advanced to second on a balk. Yarrow followed up the balk with a single of his own and tied the game at five runs a piece. After a wild pitch, Fansler was lifted for Brock Simon who got Balog to fly out to center field to end the inning.
Patrick Terry singled up the middle with one out in the top of the fifth inning but was unable to advance on Curtis Wagner's strike out and Drew Ozanne's fly ball to center field.
Lemasters drew a pinch-hit, one-out walk and advanced to second on a groundout to third by Barry. Garcia followed up with a base hit up the middle to put runners of the corners. Simon walked Lavin to load the bases and Bernatz doubled to knock in three more runs for San Francisco. Simon got the next batter to foul out to end the inning.
After a Looney groundout and Leyva fly out, Takahashi recorded his second hit of the game to chase Zimmer from the game. Luippold entered the game and got Herbst to groundout to second.
Mahood lead off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second two batters later on a grounder to the pitcher. Lemasters followed with an RBI triple to right-center field to make the score 9-5. Simon would retire the next seven Dons that came to the plate.
Santa Clara was unable to muster a comeback and went down in order in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to fall by a score of 9-5.
The series concludes tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Game Notes: First pitch was at 3 p.m. … the last 16 batters that came to the plate were retired … Luippold was perfect in his 3.1 innings of relief, picking up his first save of the season … the two teams combined to hit eight double.