SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara and San Francisco traded single runs three times through the first seven innings Friday night at Schott Stadium before the Dons scored nine times in the top of the eighth to pull away for a 13-4 win. The Broncos held leads in the first, second and fourth innings of the loss.
The Dons (13-18, 7-4 WCC) scored nine runs on seven hits and sent 13 batters to the plate in the eighth inning to break open a 3-3 contest. The visitors had five different batters drive in runs, beginning with a Justin McCullough RBI single to score Dominic Miroglio, who led off the inning with a single against Mitchell White.
White (L, 0-1) took the loss in 1.0 relief inning; he put Miroglio aboard and Reece Karalus entered the game to pitch to McCullough. Santa Clara starter Kevin George exited in line for the win after throwing 6.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
San Francisco starter Christian Cecilio threw 8.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Cecilio (W, 3-1) pitched at least 8.0 innings for the fifth straight outing, and limited the Broncos (14-15, 4-7 WCC) to one run on four hits from the third through eighth innings.
Santa Clara put runners on the corners with no outs in the first after a leadoff double from Grant Meylan and a single by Jose Vizcaino, Jr. The Broncos scored first when the next batter, T.J. Braff, hit an RBI fielder's choice to shortstop.
Each team produced a two-out rally to plate a run in the second inning. Zack McCoy singled, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and was driven in by Ryan Matranga on single up the middle for the Dons to tie the ballgame at 1-1. Santa Clara retook the lead at 2-1 in the home half of the inning when TC Florentine singled with two outs, stole second base and came in to score on single by Austin Fisher.
Santa Clara and San Francisco once again traded runs in the fourth, started by Adam Eaton's RBI single to center to score McCoy for the Dons. Fisher doubled for the Broncos with two outs and Meylan followed with an RBI single to left field to put the hosts back in front 3-2.
Brendan Hendriks pulled the Dons level at 3-3 with an RBI single through the left side in the seventh. The Broncos turned a 4-6-3 double play against the next batter, Derek Atkinson, to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Tyler Meditz hit his first career home run to left center field for the Broncos. Fisher, Meylan and Vizcaino, Jr. each recorded two hits for the Broncos. San Francisco's Connor Hofmann led all batters with three RBIs, and tied for a game-high three hits with teammate Nico Giarratano.
Santa Clara and San Francisco wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. first pitch Saturday. RHP Eric Lex (2-1, 2.40 ERA) makes the start for Santa Clara against San Francisco LHP Sam Granoff (1-2, 1.63 ERA).
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 6:02 p.m. … time of the game was 3:19 … attendance was 252.