DAVIS, Calif. — In a game that featured all five runs scored in the first three innings, the Santa Clara Broncos fell to the UC Davis Aggies 4-1 Tuesday at Dobbins Field. The Aggies tallied three runs in the first and one in the second while the Broncos responded with one in the third.
In his debut for the Broncos (1-3), freshman starter Eric Lex (L, 0-1) threw 4.0 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with three walks and no strikeouts. After the Aggies (3-0-1) plated three runs in the first, Lex surrendered only one earned run through his departure at the end of the fourth. The Redding, Calif., native tossed a 1-2-3 third inning and faced one batter above the minimum between the third and fourth.
Max Cordy (W, 2-0) made his first start of the season for the Aggies and allowed one earned run on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Nat Hamby (SV, 1) pitched three perfect innings to close out the game and record the save.
UC Davis sent all nine batters to the plate in the first inning. Nick Lynch hit a two-run double to right and two batters later, Spencer Henderson recorded an RBI single to put the hosts ahead 3-0. Alex Aguiar's two-out single in the second extended the lead to four runs.
Reigning West Coast Conference Rawlings Player of the Week Jose Vizcaino, Jr. drove in Santa Clara's only run of the game with an infield single in the third to score Grant Meylan. TC Florentine and Meylan went 1-for-3 with a walk and Kyle Czaplak drew two walks as the three Broncos to reach base safely multiple times. Braden Frankfort made his Bronco debut as the team's starting catcher.
Santa Clara pitching held the Aggies hitless over the final seven innings of the ballgame, allowing only three batters to reach on walks. Jason Seever retired the first four batters he faced and six of seven overall between the fifth and sixth innings, and Mitchell White followed it up with a perfect seventh. Kevin George struck out the first two batters in the Aggie eighth and Josh Inouye finished off the inning with a strikeout of his own.
The Broncos face Cincinnati in their home opener Friday at Schott Stadium with a 6 p.m. first pitch. The Broncos and Bearcats will play two on Saturday; first pitch of Game 1 is slated for 3 p.m. and Game 2 will begin approximately 30 minutes after the final out of Game 1.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 2 p.m. ... time of game was 2:35 ... attendance was 210.
