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SANTA CLARA, Calif. - After taking game one earlier in the day, Santa Clara baseball won game two of the double header in the rain with Brown 2-1 in 12 innings. With the win Santa Clara is now 15-7 overall while Brown moves to 1-13.
Making the start for Santa Clara was RHP Paul Twining (2-2; 3.57). He picked up a no-decision in 4.0 innings pitched while surrendering no runs on three hits and one walks with three strikeouts. RHP Chris Heckert (1-0; 1.92) picked up the win, the first of his career, in relief. On offense C Zach Looney went 3-5 with a run scored. RF Stephen Meade also had two hits and a RBI. 1B Andrew Biancardi had a walk-off fielder's choice.
Santa Clara returns to the field Fri., Mar. 30 at 6 p.m. vs. Portland in the WCC home-opener for the Broncos.
"We had to stay focused," said Biancardi. "Our mission from first pitch was to win a ballgame. We came out here and had to keep our focus. If we had to play another 10 innings we were going to do it."
RF C.J. Jacobe reached on an error by the shortstop to lead off the bottom of the third. CF Matt Ozanne followed with a single to right. SS Justin Viele popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt in foul territory for the first out and LF Pat Stover followed with a pop out to second. DH T.J. Braff got caught looking to end the inning.
2B David St. Lawrence led off the top of the fifth with a four pitch walk against new Broncos' pitcher RHP James Smith. SS J.J. Franco sacrificed him over to second and CF John Sheridan struck out swinging to make it two outs with one on. A groundout to second ended the inning.
Looney legged out a grounder to short to lead off the bottom of the fifth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Meade knocked a single up the middle on a 3-2 pitch to put Santa Clara up 1-0. Ozanne laid down a sacrifice bunt and Viele grounded out before Stover struck out to end the inning.
Brown tied the score in the top of the sixth. C Wes Van Boom was hit by a pitch and stole second. 3B Nick Fornaca singled up the middle for a RBI single. 1B Dan Kerr flew out to left to end the inning with the score 1-1.
RHP Chris Mendoza came in to pitch the top of the seventh inning. He struck out St. Lawrence to start the frame and got Franco to ground back to the mound for two quick outs. A groundout to first ended the 1-2-3 top of the seventh.
Looney hit a one-out single back through the middle and stole second to put the winning run in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh. Meade flew out to left for the second out. Ozanne was intentionally walked to bring Viele to the plate but he flew out to right to send the game to the eighth.
Franco led off the top of the 10th with a single up the middle. Sheridan sacrificed him to second and LF Matt DeRenzi walked. Mendoza was lifted for LHP Max Deering. With runners on first and second Deering struck out RF Will Marcal but a wild pitch advanced both runners. After an intentional walk to Van Boom to load the bases with two down, DH Mike DiBiase struck out to end the threat.
Meade led off the home half of the eighth with a solid single up the middle. M. Ozanne was hit by a pitch and Viele laid down a bunt but the runner and third was thrown out. With one out and two on, Stover hit a fly ball to right that advanced the runner to third. D. Ozanne was hit by a pitch to load the bases. On a 3-2 count Biancardi flew out to right center field.
M. Ozanne led off the bottom of the 12th with a single. After Viele moved him up with a sacrifice bunt, Stover was intentionally walked. D. Ozanne loaded the bases with a single to right with only one out. Biancardi hit a grounder up the middle and even though the out was recorded at second, he beat the throw to first to win the game.
Game Notes: First pitch was at 3:58 p.m. ... regulation was only seven innings due to a pregame coaches' decision ... Greg Harisis pinch ran for Evan Peters in the bottom of the fourth after Peters singled up the middle. Harisis was picked off first to end the inning ... Matt Glomb came in to play third base in the top of the fifth ... Drew Ozanne pinch hit for T.J. Braff in the bottom of the sixth.