SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Facing a local rival in a midweek game, Santa Clara baseball fell to Stanford by a final of 10-9. The Broncos are now 17-23 on the season while the Cardinal are now 16-17.
Santa Clara returns to the field Fri., April 25 vs. LMU in the first of a three-game WCC series at Schott Stadium.
Evan Brisentine (0-0, 3.86) made his first collegiate start for Santa Clara and picked up a no-decision in 2.0 innings. Brisentine allowed six runs, two earned, on five hits and a walk. Max Deering (0-2, 11.68) got the loss in 1.0 inning out of the bullpen. Jose Vizcaino, Jr. was 3-6 with two RBI and two runs scored to lead the offense. T.J. Braff was 2-4 with a double and an RBI while Stevie Berman was 1-4 with a three run homer.
Tyler Thorne (2-0, 4.81) started for Stanford and picked up a no-decision in 1.1 innings. Thorne allowed four runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Chris Viall (2-3) picked up the win in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen. A.J. Vanegas picked up his fifth save of the season. Alex Blandino was 2-5 with a double, an RBI, and three runs scored to lead the offense. Austin Slater was 2-5 with a triple and two RBI while Jack Klein was 3-3 with two walks and three runs scored.
Kert Woods drew a one out walk in the bottom of the first and moved to second on a wild pitch. Vizcaino hit an infield single to put runners on the corners and moved to second on another wild pitch. Berman followed with a three run blast to left to get the Broncos out in front early.
Zach Hoffpauir started the top of the second by being hit by a pitch and Klein followed with a single into left field. The lead runner advanced on a wild pitch but it didn't matter as a walk loaded the bases. A tailor-made double play grounder to short got no outs as the ball was bobbled and a run came across. Another wild pitch scored a run and a sac fly to center tied the game. Doran hit a dribbler down the third baseline for a hit that put runners on the corners and another wild pitch put runners on second and third. Danny Diekroeger put Stanford on top 4-3 with a sacrifice fly to center. Blandino crushed a double off the left-center field wall for an RBI and moved up to third on a wild pitch. Slater knocked in the sixth run of the inning with a bouncer back through the middle before the inning finally ended on a fly out to left.
Kyle Czaplak and Kyle Cortopassi both singled to set things up with one out for the top of the Santa Clara order. Stanford brought in Logan James to pitch and he got a fly out to right but Czaplak moved up to third. A wild pitch advanced Cortopassi and Woods singled the right to bring in a run. Another pitch in the dirt let Woods get to second but a close play at first ended the inning with the score 6-4.
A two-out rally gave Stanford another run in the top of the fourth. Blandino was hit by a pitch and Slater floated a triple to shallow right to knock in the run.
Quinton Perry and Czaplak got things going in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back walks. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Cortopassi took the third walk of the inning to load the bases with no one out for the top of the order. Chris Viall entered to do the pitching for Stanford and got the first out on an RBI ground out by Greg Harisis. After a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning, the Broncos tied the game on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Vizcaino.
Max Deering came in to pitch to start the top of the fifth and gave up a single to Klein. After two outs were recorded, a walk to Edman and a double by Doran put Stanford back on top 8-7.
Jason Seever entered the game to start the sixth and gave up a single to Blandino. Blandino moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a fly ball to center, and scored on another wild pitch. Klein drew a two out walk and swiped second to put himself in scoring position for Drew Jackson who doubled him in to make the score 10-7.
The Broncos used a two out rally in the bottom of the sixth to get a run closer. Vizcaino singled and two walks and a hit batter brought in a run. Stanford brought in Sam Lindquist to do the pitching and he got a strikeout to end the frame with the score now 10-8 in favor of Stanford.
Czaplak drew a walk leading off the home half of the seventh and Cortopassi followed with a walk of his own. With the count 2-0 on Harisis, Chris Castellanos entered the game to pitch and threw two straight balls to load the bases. A fielder's choice cut the deficit to one and Vizcaino moved up to second on a pitch in the dirt but the inning ended with Santa Clara still down 10-9.
Cortopassi was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth and Zach Looney came in to pinch run. Harisis hit the ball hard but it was right at the right fielder for the first out. Looney moved to second on a ground out but the game ended on a strikeout.
Game Notes: Attendance was 403 … First pitch was at 6:06 … Game time was 3:43 … Nick Medeiros came in to pitch in the top of the third. … A great diving play by T.J. Braff on a ground ball ended the top of the third. … There were 13 wild pitches between the two teams (SCU 6, Stanford 7).