SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball split a doubleheader against UMass Lowell, winning the first game 7-1 and falling in the nightcap 4-3 against the River Hawks Saturday at Schott Stadium. The Broncos had their bats come alive late to win Game 1 and the River Hawks prevailed in a close Game 2.
The Broncos (7-8) and River Hawks (6-4) finish up the four-game series Sunday; first pitch is set for noon.
GAME 1: Broncos use Late Offensive Surge to Push Past River Hawks
Santa Clara snapped a 21-inning scoring drought with a three-run sixth to break a scoreless tie in the first game of the day. The Broncos plated seven runs in a three-inning span to distance themselves from the River Hawks en route to a 7-1 win.
Kert Woods opened the scoring with an RBI single to center in the sixth, and pinch-hitter Ryan Budnick followed with a two-run single to left. John Cresto and Jake Brodt added an RBI single and double, respectively, in the seventh to make the score 5-1.
Joe Becht was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth and Austin Fisher walked in a run to give the Broncos a 7-1 lead; they accounted four two of Santa Clara's four pinch-hit RBIs. Stevie Berman went 3-for-5 to lead the team while John Cresto and Austin Reyes each recorded two hits.
Steven Wilson (W, 2-0) set the tone with 6.2 strong innings, allowing an unearned run on eight hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. He held the River Hawks to 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and finished one strikeout shy of matching a career-best mark. Steve Xirinachs (L, 0-3) struck out seven and allowed two earned runs in 5.1 innings for the visitors.
Santa Clara brought in Nick Medeiros (SV, 1) to pitch to Ian Strom with two outs and runners on the corners in the seventh, and Strom reached on an error to bring in the only UMass Lowell run of the game. Medeiros retired the next seven batters to earn his first career save.
GAME 2: River Hawks Take Close Contest for Second Win of Series
The nightcap featured two ties and a lead change in the first four innings, and UMass Lowell took the lead for good with a two-run fourth. There was only one multi-run lead in the contest and it lasted all of three outs.
Santa Clara and UMass Lowell scored five of the game's seven runs in four straight offensive innings. After Reyes singled to open the scoring in the second, Joe Consolmagno hit an RBI groundout for the River Hawks to tie it up in the third.
Woods put the Broncos back in front 2-1 with an RBI single in the home third. In the top of the fourth, Ben Prada grounded into a fielder's choice to tie the game up again, and Steve Passatempo walked in a run with two outs to give the River Hawks a 3-2 lead.
Nick Kuzia (W, 1-1) tossed a quality start by allowing two runs (one earned) in 6.0 innings with three strikeouts. Kuzia faced just nine batters over his final three innings; one Bronco reached safely and the right-hander issued a double play to end the fourth. Brendan Long (SV, 4) struck out the side in the ninth to earn his second save in as many days.
Michael Bono (L, 0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) in 3.0 innings as Santa Clara's starter. Peter Hendron and Max Kuhns each tossed 3.0 innings out of the bullpen — Kuhns finished the day with five strikeouts.
None of UMass Lowell's four runs scored as the result a base hit in Game 2 and Santa Clara drove in all three of its runs with two outs. Oscar Marchena scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the eighth to extend the UMass Lowell lead to 4-2 and Matt Smithwick's RBI single in the bottom half got the Broncos back within a run.
TC Florentine led all batters with two hits and four different River Hawk hitters came through with the team's four hits.
DOUBLEHEADER NOTES: First pitch of Game 1 was at 11 a.m. … time of Game 1 was 3:14 … first pitch of Game 2 was at 2:52 p.m. … time of Game 2 was 3:09 … doubleheader attendance was 308 … UMass Lowell assistant coach Jerod Edmondson was ejected with two outs in the top of the seventh of Game 2 … UMass Lowell catcher Nick Barry was ejected with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of Game 2.
