SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball fell to BYU by a final of 8-5 in 10 innings at Schott Stadium on Thursday night. The loss eliminates Santa Clara from WCC Baseball Championship contention.
Reece Karalus started for Santa Clara and picked up a no-decision in 7.0 innings. Karalus allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts, which matched a single-game high he set April 24 against Gonzaga. Josh Inouye (L, 2-1) got the loss in 0.1 innings out of the bullpen for the Broncos (25-27, 11-14 WCC). Jose Vizcaino, Jr. was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored to lead the offense. Grant Meylan was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI while Stevie Berman added a hit and two RBIs.
Brandon Kinser started for BYU and picked up a no-decision in 6.0 innings. Kinser allowed four runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Mason Marshall (W, 4-1) got the win in 3.0 innings out of the bullpen for the Cougars (26-22, 14-10 WCC). Brennon Lund was 3-for-6 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs to lead the offense. Colton Shaver was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI while Bronson Larsen was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored.
After a leadoff single, a man was on first for BYU with two down in the opening inning. A hard hit ball up the middle by Dillon Robinson hit off Karalus, whose throw to first was in the dirt. With the runner headed to third, Jake Brodt's throw to the bag got away from Kyle Cortopassi, allowing a run to come in.
Ryan Budnick walked and Joe Becht singled through the right side with one down in the bottom of the third to set things up for the top of the order. Meylan tied the game with an RBI single to center. After the second out was recorded, Vizcaino Jr. singled through the right side to make the score 2-1. The throw to third allowed Vizcaino Jr. to move into scoring position. Berman knocked a two-run single to right center to make it a four-run inning for Santa Clara. The hit parade continued as T.J. Braff singled through the left side but a fly ball to left ended the inning.
A one out single by Lund set up the second Cougar run of the night. With two down, a wild pitch put Lund on second and Hayden Nielsen blooped an RBI double to right to make the score 4-2.
The fourth error of the night by the Broncos put Cole Wilstead on first with no one out in the top of the seventh. Court Iorg followed with a solid single to left on a 3-1 pitch from Karalus. After a strikeout, a walk loaded the bases and Karalus got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
Larsen greeted new Santa Clara pitcher White with a double off the wall in left center. A walk to Tanner Chauncey put the tying run on base for BYU. Shaver singled up the middle to make it a one-run game and put runners on the corners. A wild pitch moved Shaver to second and Parker Starr tied the game with an RBI single. Another wild pitch moved up the runner on first but White got the first out on a swinging strike three. A high-hopper to short off the bat of Lund brought in the go-ahead run for the Cougars to make the score 5-4
Vizcaino, Jr. started the bottom of the eighth with a double right between Iorg in left and Lund in center, both of whom made a diving effort on the play. With one out, Braff tied the game with a double over the head of the left fielder. Marshall retired two batters on four pitches with Braff in scoring position to keep the game level at 5-5.
Shaver started the 10th with a sharp single off Inouye just under the glove of the shortstop. Pinch runner Eric Urry moved to second on a sac bunt and Jason Seever came in to pitch. With two outs, Lund hit a double to left center to put BYU back on top 6-5. After a walk Max Kuhns came in to pitch. BYU scored two more runs to take an 8-5 lead.
Berman reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the 10th and moved up on a wild pitch but the Broncos would go down without scoring.
Santa Clara returns to the diamond for a 6 p.m. first pitch Friday night against BYU.
Game Notes: First pitch was at 7:04 p.m. PDT … attendance was 230 … time of game was 3:35 … first pitch was delayed an hour due to rain.
