Bronco Baseball Loses Tight Game at Portland

Bronco Baseball Loses Tight Game at Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. – In a back and forth game, Santa Clara baseball fell to Portland in the finale of a three-game series by a final of 7-6. The Broncos are now 8-18 overall and 0-6 in West Coast Conference play while the Pilots move to 11-16 and 4-2 in conference action.

Santa Clara returns to the field on Thur., April 4 vs. BYU at 6 p.m. at Schott Stadium.

Reece Karalus (0-5, 9.47) picked up a no-decision in the start for Santa Clara. Karalus went 5.0 innings while allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Max Deering (1-2, 4.20) picked up the loss by allowing one run in 3.0 innings of relief. Justin Viele was 2-4 with a double, two runs scored and a walk while Greg Harisis was 2-4 with a run scored, a double and three RBI. Matt Ozanne, Casey Munoz and Zach Looney each added two hits.

Kurt Yinger (2-1, 2.55) started for Portland and tossed 6.2 innings in the no-decision. Yinger allowed six runs on 11 hits with one walk and six strikeouts.  Colin Feldtman (2-0, 1.89) got the win by tossing 1.2 innings of shutout relief. Ben Grubb led the offense by going 3-4 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored. Ryan Barr was 2-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI while Cody Lenahan also added two RBI.

Viele led off the game with a double to center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt my M. Ozanne. Harisis singled up the middle to put Santa Clara up 1-0 in the early going.

After a quick out was recorded in the bottom of the second, Brian Frattali and Grubb hit back-to-back singles. Michael Lucarelli followed with a double to left field to tie the game and put runners on second and third. Barr reached when Munoz dropped a fly ball in right field to allow another run to score. Jeff Melby loaded the bases with an infield single to the pitcher and Lenahan doubled in two more runs to give the Pilots a 4-1 lead.

Harisis was hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the fourth and came in to score on a double by Quinton Perry. Munoz followed with a single to right to get the Broncos within one at 4-3.

Santa Clara tied the game in the top of the fifth. Looney started the inning with a bunt single and moved to second on a one-out single by Kert Woods. After Viele went down looking, M. Ozanne singled up the middle for a RBI.

Beau Fraser drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth and Kramer Scott tripled down the right field line to put Portland back on top by a run.

Portland added another run in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 6-4. Grubb doubled down the left field line to get the inning started and Barr singled to left with one down to bring Grubb home.

The Broncos retied the game in the top of the seventh with a two-out rally. Viele and M. Ozanne hit consecutive singles and Harisis smacked a two-RBI double to center to tie the game at 6-6.

The first two batters in the bottom of the eighth put the Pilots on top 8-7. Frattali doubled to left center and Grubb collected another RBI with a single up the middle.

Viele drew a one-out walk in the top of the ninth and swiped second before M. Ozanne struck out swinging. Harisis went down swinging as well to end the game.