Postgame interview with Quinton Perry
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Playing the second game of a double-header, Santa Clara baseball fell to Illinois-Chicago by a final of 15-8. Earlier in the day Santa Clara beat UIC 10-3. The Broncos are now 3-4 while the Flames are 3-3.
Santa Clara returns to the field on Tue., Feb. 26 for the first of a two-game set vs. San Diego State at home.
Reece Karalus (0-2, 33.75) made the start for Santa Clara and picked up the loss. He lasted just 1.0 plus innings and gave up five runs on five hits with two walks.
The Broncos were led on offense by Justin Viele who went 3-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Quinton Perry launched his fourth home run of the season and went 2-4 with a double, two runs scored and four RBI. Matt Ozanne, Drew Ozanne and Casey Munoz all collected two hits.
Joey Begel (1-1, 9.34) got the win for the Flames and threw 5.0 innings while allowing six runs, five earned, on 10 hits with a walk and four K's.
On offense Alex Jurich went 3-3 with two walks and three runs scored. Five other Flames collected two hits apiece. Alex Grunenwald hit his third homer of the weekend and was 2-6 with a run scored and four RBI.
The first inning was a wild one with a combined eight runs scored. UIC exploded for four runs in the top of the first highlighted by a three-run homer by Grunenwald.
However, the Broncos rallied in the bottom of the frame. After Kert Woods reached on an error, singles by Viele and Greg Harisis loaded the bases. Perry hit a bases-clearing double to cut UIC's lead to 4-3. M. Ozanne tied the ballgame with a RBI single. After one inning, Santa Clara and Illinois-Chicago were even at 4-4.
The Flames retook the lead in the top of the second when Santa Clara pitcher Chris Heckert surrendered a RBI single to Tyler Detmer.
After a quick out, Jurich and Zenon Kolakowski walked and both runners scored on a triple to left that got past the diving Woods by John Coen. After a strikeout to Ryan Shober, Alex De La Rosa smoked a double over the head of right fielder Munoz to score the another run and make the score 8-4 UIC.
D. Ozanne had an infield single to start the bottom of the fourth and Peter Summerville double over the left fielder's head to put runners and second and third with no out for the top of the order. After a pop out, Viele singled in a run to cut the deficit to three. Harisis grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Pinch-hitter C.J. Jacobe walked to get things going in the home half of the sixth and D. Ozanne followed with a single to end the day for Begel. Ian Lewandowski came in the game and got Summerville to ground into a fielder's choice. Stephen Takahashi entered the game to pinch-hit for Woods and walked to load the bases with one down. Viele hit into a fielder's choice to bring in a run. The inning ended with the score 8-6 Flames.
The Flames put up a four spot in the top of seventh when they hit hit back-to-back singles to get things started and both runners moved up on a groundout to second. Coen singled up the middle to knock in both runs and moved to second on a bad luck throwing error by M. Ozanne that hit the mound and went over the catcher's head. Brisentine was lifted for D.J. Zapata and Coen scored when he stole third and the throw went into left field. Coen moved to third on a fly out to right and scored on an infield single to make the score 12-6.
Perry hit a solo home run leading off the bottom of the seventh to get a run back for the Broncos. It was hit fourth homer of the year after he hit five all of last season. After two outs were recorded, the Broncos loaded the bases on two walks and a single but Takahashi grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning with just one run coming across.
UIC got the run back in the top of the eighth when Kolakowski singled home Jurich who had singled and stolen second with two outs.
Santa Clara scored in the bottom of the inning when M. Ozanne hit an infield single that scored Viele from third to make the score 13-8.
In the top of the ninth the Flames padded their lead with two runs to get out on top by seven at 15-8.
Santa Clara got a runner on in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't score to give Illinois-Chicago the win.
Games Notes: First pitch was 4:22 ... Attendance was 453 … Time of game was 3:27… Chris Heckert replaced Reece Karalus on the mound after one inning ... Peter Summerville replaced Kyle Cortopassi at catcher in the top of the third inning ... It was the longest career outing for Evan Brisentine … Zach Looney pinch-hit in the bottom of the seventh and stayed in the game at third base. It was the third different position Looney has played at Santa Clara (catcher and left field).