SANTA CLARA, Calif. - With first pitched moved from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. because of rain, Santa Clara baseball lost to Portland in the second game of a three game weekend series. The Broncos fell by a final of 2-0 and are now 15-9 overall and 0-5 in WCC play while Portland is 16-5 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
RHP Mike Couch (1-2; 4.71) made the start and got a loss. He allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 6.1 innings. The only two Bronco hits came from SS Justin Viele in the bottom of the fourth and DH Peter Summerville in the bottom of the ninth.
Santa Clara and Portland will wrap-up the three game series tomorrow at 12 p.m. at Stephen Schott Stadium.
"Our hitters just need to stay committed to executing a plan at the plate and not let the frustration of results get in the way," said Santa Clara assistant coach Mike Oseguera. "There have been some really great at-bats and we need to put more of those together."
Viele led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left for the first Bronco hit of the night. LF Pat Stover hit a ball to the edge of the warning track that was caught for the first out. Viele stole second and advanced to third on a two-out passed ball. 1B Andrew Biancardi drew a walk and stole second to put runners on second and third with two outs for 2B Kyle DeMerritt. DeMerritt struck out on a pitch in the dirt to end the inning with the game still scoreless.
LF Caleb Whalen launched his second homer in as many days to lead off the top of the fifth and break the scoreless tie. Couch walked the next batter but got back on track with two fly outs and strike out to end the inning.
RF Greg Harisis dropped a fly ball to let CF Nick Armenta reach. Armenta stole second and scored on a double down the left field line by C Beau Fraser. RHP Chris Mendoza came in to relieve Couch and threw three pitches before a rain delay.
After the delay, LHP Max Deering came in to pitch for Santa Clara with a 3-0 count on 2B Jeff Melby and walked him. 3B Zack McCoy hit a high chopper to third that 3B Matt Glomb grabbed, touched third and threw to first for a double play to end the inning.
SS Kris Kauppila led off the top of the eighth with a double over the head of Stover in left but was thrown out at third on the next pitch trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. Deering got the next two batters to retire the side.
Harisis went to second on a throwing error by the Pilot's shortstop to start the bottom of the eighth. CF Matt Ozanne flew out to left center before Quinton Perry came in to pinch hit for C Zach Looney. Perry popped out to third and Viele flew out to center to strand Harisis on second.
RHP Paul Twining came in to start the ninth and allowed a single between shortstop and third base. After Twining hit Whalen with a pitch, Armenta laid down a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position with one out. The Broncos intentionally walked Fraser to load the bases. Pinch hitter Cody Lenahan struck out swinging for the second out of the inning. New Portland third baseman Michael Lucarelli lined out to left center to end the inning with the score still 2-0 Portland.
Stover led off the bottom of the ninth with a soft line out to short. Summerville came up with one out and roped a single to left field. Summerville was lifted for pinch runner C.J. Jacobe. Biancardi hit into a fielder's choice for the second out. Drew Ozanne pinch hit for DeMerritt and lined out to short to end the game.
Game Notes: First pitch was at 6:04 ... attendance was 225 ... there was a 45 minute rain delay in the top of the seventh.