MALIBU, Calif. — In a low-scoring game that featured no multi-run leads, the Santa Clara Broncos fell 3-2 to the Pepperdine Waves at Eddy D. Field Stadium Friday afternoon. The Waves walked off on an RBI single from Aaron Barnett with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning.
Mitchell White entered a 2-2 ballgame for the Broncos (15-17, 4-9 WCC) in the eighth and retired three of the four batters he faced to keep the score level. White (L, 0-2) issued a walk to Chris Fornaci and Santa Clara called on closer Reece Karalus with one out and a man on first. The next batter, Hutton Moyer, hit a ground ball that bounced over the left shoulder of Bronco second baseman Austin Fisher to put runners on the corners. Karalus intentionally walked Brad Anderson before Barnett hit a 2-2 pitch to left field to drive in Fornaci for the victory.
Bronco starting pitcher Steven Wilson pitched 7.0 innings and allowed an earned run on two hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He allowed a leadoff home run to Fornaci in the first, and held the Waves (18-15, 8-5 WCC) to 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position through his departure at the end of the seventh. With one out and runners on the corners in the first, Jordan Qsar filed out to left field and T.J. Braff threw out Moyer, who attempted to tag up from third on the play.
Jackson McClelland started and allowed two earned runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in seven innings for the Waves (18-17, 8-5 WCC). The Broncos scored their only runs of the game against the Pepperdine starter in the second inning. Kyle Cortopassi singled to start the frame and Tyler Meditz followed with a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Jake Brodt tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI sacrifice fly and Fisher hit a two-out single up the middle to give the Broncos a 2-1 advantage.
Pepperdine tied the game in the sixth after three scoreless innings on Manny Jefferson's RBI sacrifice bunt with no outs and runners on the corners. Wilson fielded the bunt and threw to first to retire Jefferson; Brandon Caruso broke from third on the throw and slid in safely to make the score 2-2.
Grant Meylan and Stevie Berman each singled to put Broncos on first and third with no outs in the eighth against Pepperdine's Chandler Blanchard (W, 1-1). Meylan was thrown out at home by the Pepperdine third baseman Fornaci on a ground ball off the bat of Jose Vizcaino, Jr. for the first out of the inning. Braff flied out to center with one out, and Pepperdine center fielder Matt Gelalich threw out Berman, who attempted to tag up from third, for the final out of the inning.
The Broncos put a pair of baserunners aboard in the ninth; Cortopassi walked and was picked off first base and Brodt reached on a ground ball and high throw to first from Jefferson, resulting in an error. Berman led the Broncos with two hits to tie for a game high with Barnett and Gelalich and all three of the batters went 2-for-4 Friday afternoon. Vizcaino, Jr. extended his career-long hitting streak to 17 games with a double in the first inning.
The Broncos and Waves return to the diamond for a 1 p.m. first pitch Saturday. Kevin George (2-2, 3.70 ERA) makes the start for Santa Clara against A.J. Puckett (3-4, 4.83 ERA).
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 3:03 p.m. … time of game was 2:50 … attendance was 693.
