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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In the second game of the Jack Gifford Memorial Baseball Tournament, the Santa Clara Broncos dropped a close contest to UC Davis 3-2. The Broncos fell to 6-9 with the loss while the Aggies improved to 5-7 Friday night at Schott Stadium. Santa Clara faces University of the Pacific Saturday with a 6 p.m. first pitch.
Santa Clara starting pitcher Steven Wilson threw 5.2 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. The redshirt freshman faced more than four batters just one time in his five complete innings and finished with a no-decision. UC Davis starter and junior Spencer Koopmans also threw 5.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a no-decision.
Junior center fielder Kevin Barker hit the second pitch of the game over the center field wall to put the Aggies up 1-0 in the first. After a pair of singles put runners on first and third with one out in the second, Wilson and the Bronco defense issued an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Senior first baseman Mac Hess led off the fourth with a single for Santa Clara's fourth hit of the game, and made his way to third on a stolen base and a groundout. He scored the first Bronco run of the game on a double steal in which freshman third baseman Max Kuhns took second.
UC Davis retook the lead 2-1 on an RBI single up the middle by junior left fielder Austin March with two outs in the sixth.
The Broncos responded in the next half inning, beginning with senior center fielder Greg Harisis hitting a single up the middle and stealing second base. Harisis scored from second when Koopmans picked up a sacrifice bunt attempt by Hess and threw a ball that skipped short of his first baseman and into foul territory.
Senior relief pitcher Chris Heckert entered the game with one out and runners on first and second in the sixth, and held the Aggies to one run on a sacrifice fly from senior third baseman Adam Young. The visitors took a 3-2 lead in the third consecutive half inning to feature a run scored, which was charged to Bronco freshman Jason Seever (L, 0-1). Redshirt junior Raul Jacobson (W, 2-0) struck out four in 2.0 innings to earn the win in relief.
The Broncos put at least two runners on base in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, and scored only one run between those three frames. Freshman catcher Stevie Berman collected two hits on the night while senior second baseman Zach Looney led all batters with three hits. Aggie freshman pitcher Zach Stone (SV, 2) pitched a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts for his second collegiate save.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 4 p.m. … time of game was 3:18 … attendance was 328.