WATCH | EYEBRONCO's Highlights and Postgame Interview with Jake Steffens!
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball used a career-best effort from starting pitcher Jake Steffens and a big seventh inning to power past the Cincinnati Bearcats 11-3 Friday night in its home opener at Schott Stadium. Steffens struck out 11 batters over seven innings and Santa Clara batted around in the seventh to break open a 3-2 ballgame.
Santa Clara scored all six of its runs in the seventh with two outs, beginning with a two-run single from Jake Brodt. The Broncos (2-3) recorded five straight hits as part of the rally, and Evan Haberle capped the big inning with an RBI double to make it a 9-2 game.
"There was the great home-opening buzz at the yard tonight, and the big crowd really helped us energize our ballclub," head coach Dan O'Brien said. "We're so thankful for all the support we receive from our fans, friends and families."
Steffens (W, 1-1) tossed 7.0 innings for Santa Clara and allowed two earned runs on six hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts. He finished the outing with four straight scoreless frames in which he faced no more than four batters in a single inning and struck out the side in the sixth. He broke a previous career high of nine strikeouts, set on May 4, 2014 in 2-1 win at San Francisco.
"Jake keeps getting better and better every time he's out there," O'Brien said. "He also gets better throughout his starts. He's always been a great human, but I'm just so proud of who he has become on the mound."
"My slider was working tonight," Steffens said. "I didn't even realize I had 11 strikeouts. I just tried to get ahead with fastballs and break off a slider or curveball in the dirt, and they were swinging at it."
The Bearcats (1-4) started the game with three singles in their first four at-bats, including a one-out, RBI knock by Devin Wenzel. Santa Clara got out of the inning after Jake Richmond struck out on a ball that hit the dirt and Bronco catcher Kyle Cortopassi threw out Wenzel trying to advance to second in the same sequence.
With runners on second and third and two outs in the second, Cincinnati starting pitcher Andrew Zellner delivered two pitches for balls to Austin Fisher before the Bearcats called on Ryan Atkinson (L, 0-1) in the middle of the at-bat. Atkinson walked Fisher to load the bases and one batter later, Haberle walked in the first run of the game for the Broncos.
Zellner finished with a line of 1.2 innings and allowed one earned run on two hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Atkinson threw 4.1 innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Cincinnati retook the advantage in the third when preseason Third Team All-American Ian Happ doubled to right center to score leadoff hitter Connor McVey. Happ had a team-high three hits for the Bearcats, and McVey added two hits and scored twice for the visitors. In the bottom half of the inning, Jose Vizcaino, Jr. hit a long home run to left to bring the hosts level at 2-2.
"It's great to have a 2-2 ballgame — those are the games I like pitching in because I can keep the intensity up and keep the guys behind me up in the dugout," Steffens said.
Following a pair of scoreless innings, Santa Clara threatened in the sixth when TJ Braff hit a fly ball to right field with one out and runners on second and third. Happ made the catch and threw out Ryan Budnick and home to keep the game tied. Santa Clara took a 3-2 lead — its first lead of the game — one batter later when Cortopassi hit a two-strike pitch to the opposite field to score Brodt.
The six-run seventh to put the Broncos firmly in control also featured an RBI single from Braff and a two-run single from Cortopassi. Fisher and Luke Huerta each walked in a run in the eighth to give the Broncos 11 runs on the night. Cortopassi led the team with three RBIs and joined Braff, Brodt and Meylan as the four Broncos to record multiple hits.
"I thought the game really opened up because of all the little things we did well," O'Brien said. "Our plate discipline, execution, two-strike approach and two-out RBIs all created a big night for us at the plate."
Nick Medeiros dealt a scoreless eighth out of the bullpen and Alex Barden struck out two in the ninth inning of his Santa Clara debut.
The Broncos and Bearcats will play a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the second game will start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first. Probable pitchers for the opener are Santa Clara's Steven Wilson (0-0, 4.50 ERA) and Cincinnati's Dalton Lehnen (0-1, 16.88 ERA).
"Winning the first game is huge," Steffens said. "I feel like it sets the tone for the rest of the weekend. If we can keep up this energy tomorrow, we'll be all right."
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 6:07 p.m. ... time of game was 3:18 ... attendance was 416.
