SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball trailed 6-0 in the third inning Sunday afternoon and cut the deficit to one run, but could not complete the comeback in a 7-6 loss to Pacific at Schott Stadium. The Broncos scored six times in the last five innings and had the potential game-winning run at the plate in the ninth as Tiger closer Vince Arobio struck out Jake Brodt to end the contest.
Santa Clara won the series 2-1 and had a five-game winning streak snapped in the series finale loss.
The Broncos (13-13, 4-5 WCC) brought the potential game-tying run to the plate five times in the last two innings. Santa Clara's Joe Becht hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center field as the first potential-game tying run with one out and runners on first and third to make the score 7-5 Pacific in the eighth.
In the ninth, Stevie Berman made it to third on a leadoff double and throwing error by Pacific center fielder Tyler Sullivan before being driven in on a 6-3 groundout by the next batter, Jose Vizcaino, Jr. After T.J. Braff's groundout, Kyle Cortopassi singled to put the potential game-tying run on the bases with two outs. Brodt struck out swinging against Arobio (SV, 3) for the game's final out.
The Tigers (5-20, 4-5 WCC) made it three straight games with a first-inning run on Gio Brusa's RBI single to left, followed by a Brett Sullivan two-run homer to right to make the score 3-0 Pacific. The visitors added three more runs on three consecutive RBI singles in the third inning from Brett Sullivan, J.P. Yakel and J.J. Wagner to make it a 6-0 ballgame. Santa Clara starting pitcher Evan Brisentine (L, 1-2) allowed six earned runs on nine hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
Grant Meylan knocked an RBI single to left field and Berman hit into an RBI fielder's choice in consecutive at-bats as the Broncos scored two runs before the first out of the fifth inning. With one out and runners on second and third, Braff hit a ground ball to Pacific shortstop Jimmy Gosano, whose throw pulled Tiger first baseman Louis Mejia off the bag toward home plate. Braff collided with Mejia on his way to first base and jarred the ball loose into the outfield, which allowed a second Bronco run to score on the same play as the hosts cut the deficit to two runs at 6-4.
Pacific starting pitcher Michael Benson threw 4.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Jake Jenkins (W, 1-4) earned his first win of the season in 2.1 shutout innings of relief, allowing a hit and a walk alongside three strikeouts.
Santa Clara's bullpen pitched effectively in stopper roles in three consecutive innings during the latter half of the game. Nick Medeiros came in to pitch with one out and Tigers on the corners in the sixth, then recorded two straight outs to end the inning. Josh Inouye took the hill with no outs and runners in second and third in the seventh and issued three outs to keep the inning scoreless. Pacific took a 7-4 lead on an RBI single from Mejia in the top of the eighth before Jason Seever recorded back-to-back outs with runners on first and second to end the inning.
Santa Clara's one through four hitters each recorded an RBI alongside Becht, who took over for Austin Fisher at second base to start the top of the sixth. Brodt and Tyler Meditz tied for a team-best two hits Sunday afternoon. Brett Sullivan led all batters with three RBIs in the game and was one of three Tigers to post multiple hits and score multiple runs.
The Broncos play a non-conference game with a 6 p.m. first pitch Monday against the Nevada Wolfpack before hosting the San Francisco Dons in a Thursday-Saturday series this week.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 1:01 p.m. … time of the game was 3:29 … attendance as 352 … the Broncos started TC Florentine in center field and Grant Meylan in right field for the first 25 games of the season … Meylan played center field Sunday while Florentine was not in the lineup for the first time in 2015 … Meylan and T.J. Braff are the only Broncos to start all 26 games this year.
