WATCH | EYEBRONCO Highlights and Postgame Interview with Evan Brisentine
Game Photos (Credit Don Jedlovec)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball scored seven unanswered runs after spotting No. 30 San Diego a one-run lead in the first for a 7-1 victory Sunday at Schott Stadium. Evan Brisentine pitched a career-high 6.1 shutout innings of relief to earn his first collegiate win and six different Broncos drove in a run during the series finale.
The Broncos are 4-2 against San Diego in their last six matchups, after going 3-27 in the prior 30 head-to-head contests from 2004-13.
The Toreros (13-8, 5-1 WCC) scored the first run of the game on a bases-loaded walk by Riley Adams in the first against Bronco starter Peter Hendron, who threw 0.2 innings and allowed an earned run on one hit with three walks. Brisentine relieved Hendron after the RBI walk and covered first on a Hunter Mercado-Hood 3-1 groundout to end the inning.
"I wanted to get us back in the dugout and get the momentum rolling back to us," Brisentine said.
Brisentine (W, 1-1) allowed only three hits with a walk and three strikeouts. He combined with the Bronco defense to produce 1-2-3 innings in the second, fifth and seventh. The senior's first winning decision came in his 25th appearance as a Bronco. His 6.1 innings bested a previous best mark of 4.0 innings, set last Sunday at LMU.
"I just came in and wanted to pick Pete up, throw strikes and fill up the zone," Brisentine said. "Our guys were doing great defensively; they took care of their business."
The Broncos (9-12, 2-4 WCC) had three straight batters reach to start the third, capped by a Stevie Berman RBI double to left to tie the game at 1-1, before San Diego brought in Jacob Hill to relieve starting pitcher CJ Burdick. Ryan Budnick followed with an RBI groundout and with the bases loaded three batters later, Grant Meylan drew his WCC-leading 25th walk of the season to make the score 3-1. Burdick (L, 1-1) allowed three earned runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in 3.0+ innings.
Berman doubled in each of his first three trips to the plate and finished the day by going 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in the Santa Clara victory. His three doubles match a Bronco single-game high this season, set by Jose Vizcaino, Jr. in an 8-2 victory over Eastern Michigan on March 27.
Brisentine walked San Diego's Bryson Brigman to lead off the eighth and gave way to Reece Karalus, who walked Kyle Holder before recording three straight outs to keep the Broncos ahead by two runs. TC Florentine hit one of his two doubles to drive in Berman and make the score 4-1 in the bottom half of the inning. The next batter, Austin Fisher, hit a two-run single through the left side and later in the inning, T.J. Braff was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the score 7-1.
Karalus (SV, 5) allowed only a one-out single in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season. He pitched 2.0 shutout innings and gave up a hit and a walk to the Toreros. Jerod Smith led San Diego with two hits, Adams drove in its only run of the game and Kyle Holder reached base safely with a single and two walks for the visitors.
The Broncos take a midweek trip to Grand Canyon for first pitch times of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 2:30 p.m. Wednesday before returning home to face the WCC's Pacific Tigers next weekend.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 1:03 p.m. … time of game was 3:19 … attendance was 491.
