SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball is set for the season's first road trip and its second four-game slate in as many weekends. The Broncos head to Seattle for a matchup with the Pac 12's Washington Huskies, which features single games on Friday and Sunday and a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Broncos have alternated wins and losses in their last six games. They fell at Nevada 14-2 on Tuesday at Peccole Park.
Santa Clara (5-4) at Washington (4-3)
Friday, March 4, 2016 | 5 p.m. PST | Game #10 | Away Game #3
Saturday, March 5, 2016 | 1 p.m. PST | Game #11 | Away Game #4
Saturday, March 5, 2016 | 5 p.m. PST | Game #12 | Away Game #5
Sunday, March 6, 2016 | 1 p.m. PST | Game #13 | Away Game #6
Seattle, Wash. | Husky Ballpark
Live Stats: uw.statbroadcast.com | Video: www.pac12.com/live
Series History
All-Time Series: Washington Leads 12-7 (1960-2014)
Last Meeting: March 9, 2014 — Washington won 9-1 at Schott Stadium
Probable Starters
Friday: SCU RHP Mitchell White (1-1, 2.63 ERA) vs. UW RHP Noah Bremer (1-0, 0.77 ERA)
Saturday (Game 1): SCU RHP Steven Wilson (1-0, 2.79 ERA) vs. UW RHP Joe DeMers (1-0, 4.09 ERA)
Saturday (Game 2): SCU RHP Michael Bono (0-0, 1.86 ERA) vs. UW LHP Will Ballowe (0-0, 10.38 ERA)
Sunday: SCU LHP Jason Seever (2-0, 3.09 ERA) vs. UW TBD
Last Five Games
Santa Clara picked up victories over Utah Valley and No. 14 Michigan, and fell against UC Davis and Saint Joseph's at the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament last weekend. The Broncos lost 14-2 at Nevada on Tuesday after the Wolf Pack plated 11 runs in the fourth inning.
Broncos in the Field
2016 Preseason All-WCC selection Stevie Berman and Freshman John Cresto share the team's batting average lead at .400. Berman has a team-high seven RBIs and Cresto tops the Broncos with six extra-base hits and nine runs scored. Berman has hit safely in 12 straight games going back to last season.
Berman and Grant Meylan are tied for the team lead with five walks apiece. Jake Brodt is 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts.
Kert Woods went 2-for-3 with a single and a double against Nevada to extend his hitting streak to five games.
The Broncos turned three double plays against the Wolf Pack to bring their season total to 11. Santa Clara has hit into five double plays in 2016.
Broncos on the Mound
Mitchell White turned in a career performance and retired 21 of the first 22 batters he faced for the Broncos in last Friday's 9-2 victory over Utah Valley. He posted career-highs with 8.0 innings pitched and nine strikeouts.
Steven Wilson allowed six runs (three earned) in 3.2 innings and finished with a no decision in Saturday's loss to against Saint Joseph's. Wilson earned the first Rawlings WCC Pitcher of the Week award by throwing six shutout innings against Notre Dame on Feb. 20.
Michael Bono makes his 10th career appearance and third career start for the Broncos Saturday. The sophomore has started each of Santa Clara's last two midweek games, and allowed a combined two earned runs over 6.2 innings (2.70 ERA).
Jason Seever has won in both of his starts this season, including Santa Clara's victory over Michigan last Sunday. The lefthander has struck out 14 batters in 11.2 innings — Santa Clara won each of those games by two runs.
Max Kuhns is tied for second in the NCAA with four saves. The Parker, Colo. native is one of five pitchers in the country with four or more saves entering the week.
Santa Clara's staff has posted double-digit strikeouts six times overall in nine games. The Broncos have allowed more than three earned runs just twice on the year.
Milestone Watch
Bronco head coach Dan O'Brien needs three wins to reach 100 career victories at SCU. The earliest O'Brien could reach the milestone is the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader.
Washington
The Huskies are 4-3 after playing their first seven games of the season away from home. Washington took two of three contests at Baylor and split a four-game weekend at UC Riverside. The team won four of its first five games.
Josh Cushing tops the Huskies with a .462 batting average, 10 RBIs and four extra-base hits. Kyle London has drawn 11 walks and John Naff has a team-high nine runs scored.
Noah Bremer has surrendered only an earned run over his two starts this season. In the last start for Joe DeMers, Washington jumped on UC Riverside by scoring in the first five innings on its way to a 17-4 victory. Will Ballowe walked three batters and was replaced before making an out in his season debut Feb. 21; he struck out four batters in 4.1 innings of an extra-inning loss against the Highlanders last Saturday.
2016 Schedule Notes
- Santa Clara defeated a ranked opponent on opening weekend for the second straight season by defeating No. 24 Notre Dame 2-0 on Saturday, Feb. 20 and 4-2 on Sunday, Feb. 21. The Broncos won a Saturday contest at defending national champion and unanimous preseason No. 1 Vanderbilt last year.
- Santa Clara played seven of its first eight games at home; the only road game in that stretch was a Tuesday win at San José State on Feb. 23.
- The Broncos have 13 games in 17 days to start the season.
- Santa Clara is slated to play four-game weekends four times during a five-weekend span from the end of February through the end of March.
- The Broncos face 2015 WCC postseason champion Pepperdine at home and 2015 WCC regular season champion San Diego on the road during consecutive weekends in April.
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Go Broncos!
