Post game interview with Matt Ozanne.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - On a wet, cold night, Santa Clara baseball topped Cal, a 2011 College World Series participant, by a final of 8-5. The Broncos are now 18-12 while Cal moves to 17-14.
RHP James Smith (1-0; 5.09) picked up a no-decision in the start. He allowed four runs, three earned, over 4.2 innings with four hits and four walks while striking out two. RHP Chris Mendoza (1-0; 4.85) got the win in 2.0 innings of relief and LHP Max Deering (2-1; 1.59) picked up his third save. On offense CF Matt Ozanne went 2-5 with three RBI and a run scored. 2B Greg Harisis also went 2-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Santa Clara returns to the field at Gonzaga this weekend for a three-game series against its conference rivals. The first game will be Fri., April 13 at 7 p.m.
"The big first inning really lifted up our team," said Ozanne. "It was important to not take that deep breath and think we have the game wrapped up but I think we're capable of beating teams like Cal on a day in and day out basis. They're a good team but if we play our game I think we can beat them."
Harisis led off the bottom of the first with a chopper over the third baseman that resulted in a single. 1B Andrew Biancardi hit nearly an identical chopper to put runners on the corners with no out. Ozanne knocked a RBI single through the left side to put the Broncos in front. A fly out by LF Pat Stover advanced Biancardi to third. C Peter Summerville popped up to second and Tony Renda dropped the ball but he was able to get the out at second for a fielder's choice, avoiding an error. After RF Stephen Takahashi was hit by a pitch to load the bases, DH C.J. Jacobe roped a single to right field to bring in two more runs. With runners now on the corners, Jacobe took off for second on a delayed steal and reached safely as the fourth run of the inning came across the plate. 3B Matt Glomb blooped a single to right but Jacobe was thrown out at home trying to score to end the inning with the score 4-0.
2B Tony Renda crushed a lead off home run to left field in the top of the fourth to put the Bears on the board. RF Andrew Knapp walked and CF Chad Bunting doubled to left to bring in a run. Bunting took third on an error by the Broncos. LF Darrel Matthews brought the score to 4-3 with a sac fly to left. Paul flew out to left field to end the inning.
DH Vince Bruno drew a one out walk and stole second with two down. After Renda walked, 1B Mitch Delfino hit a seeing-eye single back up the middle to knock in the tying run and advance Renda to third. Smith was lifted in favor of RHP Chris Mendoza. Knapp grounded out to short on a nice play by Viele to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
In the bottom of the fifth a one out grounder got past the Cal third baseman and Stover singled to left field. What looked like a double play grounder to short hit by Summerville took a wicked hop and went into left for a RBI single that advanced Stover to third. Summerville was thrown out trying to reach second for the second out of the inning. Takahashi drew a walk but pinch hitter T.J. Braff grounded out to end the inning.
Glomb drew a lead off walk to start the home half of the sixth. Viele laid down a sacrifice bunt and LHP Chris Muse-Fisher missed the ball for an error to put two on with no out for the top of the line up. Harisis laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt and Cal made a pitching change, bringing in RHP Michael Lowden. Biancardi knocked in a run with a sac fly to center. With two outs and a runner on second, Ozanne hit a high fly ball to right that ended the inning with the score 6-4 in favor of Santa Clara.
Glomb overthrew first base on a routine ground ball to extend the top of the seventh. Renda drew a four pitch walk and Delfino came through with a single to right to make it a one run lead for Santa Clara. Mendoza was lifted for LHP Max Deering who came in and got the third out.
Pinch hitter Casey Husband reached first to lead off the bottom of the eighth as Delfino dropped the throw to first on a routine ground ball to second for an error. Justin Gisch pinch ran and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Glomb. Harisis was walked intentionally in front of Biancardi who walked to load the bases. Ozanne put the Broncos up 8-5 with a two run single to center. Stover grounded out to third to end the inning but the damage was done.
Deering came back out for the top of the ninth and allowed a two out double to C Chad Krist but got the final out to wrap-up the Santa Clara win.
Game Notes: First pitch was 6:12 ... The only two starters to not steal a base yet in 2012 executed a successful double-steal in the bottom of the first ... attendance was 261.