by Brandon Rebboah
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara (15-24; 2-8) fell to Gonzaga, 9-0, in the second game of a three-game series. Gonzaga starter Tyler Olson (6-3) picked up the win for the Zags, while J.R. Graham fell to 2-3 on the year. After Graham left the game for the Broncos, Santa Clara used four pitchers in relief.
J.R. Graham downed the Zags, 1-2-3, to start the game. The inning was highlighted by a phenomenal diving grab by Kyle DeMerritt who dove toward the bag to snag a hard-hit groundball and gunned it to first for the first out of the inning.
With one out, Graham walked Cameron Edman to allow his first base runner. Graham responded by picking off Edman, 1-3, for the second out of the inning. Clayton Eslick hit a two-out single for Gonzaga's first hit of the game. Graham recorded his first strikeout to end the inning.
In the third, Marco Gonzalez singled to start the inning for the Zags. After a passed ball, single and balk Tyler Chism and Billy Moon knocked in three runs on back-to-back doubles.
Gonzaga added seven runs through the eighth inning to enter the ninth with a, 9-0, lead.
After reliever Greg Plauck walked two batters in the ninth, Mike Couch took the mound for the Broncos. Couch retired three-straight to end the inning, including a 3-1 double play.
The Broncos ultimately fell 9-0. Santa Clara will continue its series against Gonzaga tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Games Notes: First pitch was thrown at 1:01 p.m. ...Santa Clara wore their white jerseys again today; typically, they wear white on Fridays… Powell Fansler relieved Graham in the seventh, lasting just two outs. Fansler was lifted in favor of James Smith…Fansler allowed two runs on four hits…Smith was relieved by Greg Plauck with two outs in the eighth.