BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Trying to avoid a sweep, Santa Clara baseball took on CSU Bakersfield in the second game of a doubleheader and lost by a final score of 3-1. Santa Clara is now 17-12 and Bakersfield evens its record at 15-15.
RHP Mike Couch (1-4; 4.36) picked up a loss in the start for the Broncos. Couch went 7.0 innings while allowing three runs on six hits and one walks with four strikeouts. DH T.J. Braff led the offense by going 3-4 with three singles.
Santa Clara will return to Stephen Schott Stadium vs. Cal on Tue., April 10 at 6:10 p.m. before traveling to Gonzaga to continue WCC play April13-15.
After getting a quick ground out to start the bottom of the third, Couch gave up a single to CF Andrew Letourneau and walked RF Jordie Hein. SS Tyler Shryock singled through the right side to bring in the first run of the game and put runners on the corners. 2B Oscar Sanay struck out swinging but the Roadrunners executed a double steal to make the score 2-0. C Cael Brockmeyer fouled out to end the inning.
CF Matt Ozanne led off the top of the fourth with a double to left field to get things going for Santa Clara. RF Greg Harisis flied out to right field for the first out of the inning. With one out and a man on third after an Ozanne steal, 1B Andrew Biancardi struck out swinging but LF Pat Stover came through with a two out RBI singled up the middle to cut the Bakersfield lead in half. Braff followed with another single, this one to left field, but C Quinton Perry struck out to keep the score at 2-1.
In the bottom of the sixth Shryock singled through the right side to lead things off for Bakersfield. After two pop outs, 3B D.C. Legg doubled to right center to bring in the run and extend the lead to 3-1. Legg advanced to third on a wild pitch but pinch hitter J.P. Maestas grounded out to third for the final out.
Santa Clara had a chance to get back the run it allowed in the sixth when Braff singled up the middle with one out and Perry was hit by a pitch. 2B Kyle DeMerritt flew out before the Broncos executed a double steal to put runners on second and third with two out. Pinch hitter Stephen Meade struck out swinging and the score stayed 3-1.
The Roadrunners threatened again in the bottom of the sixth. 1B Dylan Christensen hit a one out double down the right field line and advanced to third on a ground out. Hein was hit by a pitch and Shryock lined out to center field on the first pitch to get Couch out of the jam.
Stover led off the top of the ninth with a solid single to right field. Braff grounded out to third base and Stover advanced to second. DH Zach Looney flied out to center and DeMerritt flied out to left center to seal the game for Bakersfield.