SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Playing two because of rain the day before, Santa Clara baseball split with Cincinnati by final scores of 7-3 and 3-1. The Broncos are now 11-38 overall while the Bearcats are 21-30.
The Broncos return to the field tomorrow, Sun., May 12 at 10 a.m. at Cincinnati.
Game 1
Reece Karalus (0-8, 6.22) started for Santa Clara and got a loss in 6.0-plus innings. Karalus allowed five runs, two earned, on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The offense was led by Casey Munoz who was 3-4 with a run scored while T.J. Braff and Kyle DeMerritt were each 2-4 with a RBI and a stolen base.
Mitch Patishall (3-4, 4.03) started for Cincinnati and got a win in 7.0 innings. Patishall allowed three runs, two earned, on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The offense was led by Matt Williams who was 2-3 with a run scored, a walk and a stolen base and Ethan McAlpine who was 1-2 with two runs scored and three stolen bases.
The Bearcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Justin Glass walked with one down and swiped second after two outs. Another walk put two on and Devin Wenzel singled to right to bring in the first run of the game.
Santa Clara took its first lead in the top of the second with a two-spot. Munoz led off with a single to right center and Jose Vizcaino, Jr. followed with a single of his own. After two outs were recorded, a failed pick off throw allowed Munoz to score and moved Vizcaino to third. Braff doubled in the second run of the inning to give the Broncos the 2-1 lead.
Ryan Quinn led off the bottom of the second with a single up the middle and McAlpine laid down a bunt single. Colin Hawk followed with a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away and the tying run came in to score. Forrest Perron followed with a RBI groundout to put Cincinnati back on top 3-2.
McAlpine scored a run on his own in the bottom of the fourth to extend the Bearcat lead to two. He was hit by a pitch leading off the inning and stole second after one out. McAlpine then stole third and came in to score on a throwing error by the catcher.
Three consecutive singles by Santa Clara with one out in the top of the sixth cut the Bronco deficit to one. C.J. Jacobe, Braff and DeMerritt all singled before Patishall escaped the inning.
Cincinnati put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the seventh that made the score 7-3.
Game 2
Mike Couch (4-8, 4.45) started for Santa Clara and got a win in 7.0 innings. Couch allowed one run on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Tommy Nance (2-4, 4.58) picked up his first save with 2.0 innings out of the bullpen. The offense was led by Jacobe who was 3-4 with a home run and two RBI. Munoz added a hit and a RBI in three at-bats.
Grant Walker (2-3, 4.54) started for Cincinnati and got a loss in 7.0 innings. Walker allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The offense was led by Glass who was 1-3 with a RBI.
Santa Clara jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Greg Harisis led off with a single through the left side and promptly stole second. Justin Viele laid down a sacrifice bunt and Munoz hit a sac fly to center to bring in the run.
Couch was fantastic on the mound and didn't allow a run until the bottom of the sixth. Happ singled up the middle to start the frame and stole second. Williams advanced the runner to third with a fly out to right and Glass singled to right to knock in the run. It was the only run the Bearcats would score.
Viele led off the top of the eighth with a hit by pitch and stole second. After a strikeout, Jacobe blasted his first career home run to right field to put the Broncos up 3-1.
Nance came in from the bullpen and pitched two shutout innings to pick up his first save of the season.