SAN JOSE, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball belted three home runs and totaled six extra base hits to down local rival San Jose State 7-4 Tuesday night at Municipal Stadium. The Broncos outscored the Spartans 5-0 in the last four innings to overcome a two-run deficit for their third consecutive win.
Santa Clara has won four straight games against San Jose State dating back to the 2014 season.
Jake Brodt opened the scoring in the second inning with Santa Clara's first home run of the season, a 405-foot long ball past the left-field fence. The Broncos (3-1) took a one-run lead into the ninth and got back-to-back home runs from John Cresto — the first of his collegiate career — and Stevie Berman to add late insurance.
"On a night like tonight, you have to give a lot of credit to our hitting instructor Keith Beauregard," head coach Dan O'Brien said. "He has worked hard to recruit great players and completely change the culture of our offense. We have a dynamic lineup that can be very explosive at any time, in many parts of the order.
"There's depth on the roster too, with many players who can help us off the bench. It's a very complete group of position players on both sides of the ball, and Keith gets all the credit for that."
The game's decisive hit was also of the extra-base variety, as Braden Frankfort came through with a two-out, two-run double to the right-center gap that gave Santa Clara a 5-4 lead in the seventh. The sophomore catcher went 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Brodt and Cresto each tallied two hits and an RBI, and Berman finished with a home run, two walks and two runs scored.
Michael Bono made his first collegiate start and allowed an earned run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. After the Spartans (2-3) scored three runs in the fifth, Travis Howard (W, 1-0) retired six of the seven batters he faced in his Bronco debut to earn his first collegiate win.
Following a leadoff single in the seventh, Bronco reliever Nick Medeiros picked up a sacrifice bunt attempt and threw to second base for a force out of potential game-tying run Brett Bautista. Medeiros retired the next two batters he faced to end the inning.
Santa Clara turned a 4-6-3 double play in both the eighth and ninth innings to remain in front. Max Kuhns (SV, 3) earned his third save in as many appearances this season, and completed the victory by striking out Bautista.
"Those three give us quality arms on the back end, but what makes them special is their make up, competitiveness and maturity," O'Brien said of Howard, Medeiros and Kuhns. "If you go to battle against those three, you're in for a dogfight. I love what they're made of and how they compete."
Spartan starter Ross Slaney allowed two earned runs on four hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Jake Swiech (L, 0-1) took the loss in one relief inning. Brett Bautista, Ozzy Braff and Aaron Pleschner each had two hits for the home team.
The Broncos return to Schott Stadium for the first game of the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament Thursday against UC Davis at 6 p.m.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 6 p.m. … time of the game was 2:46 … attendance was 341.
