SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball started off the scoring Sunday afternoon with its biggest inning of the season by plating seven runs in the fourth against Saint Mary's. The Broncos added five more runs in the fifth to break a 7-7 tie on their way to a 13-9 West Coast Conference victory at Schott Stadium.
Sunday's series finale spanned three hours and 36 minutes; it was both the longest and highest-scoring nine-inning game this season.
The Broncos (12-14, 2-4 WCC) picked up their first run on Jake Brodt's RBI double to straightaway center with one out in the fourth. John Cresto and Tyler Meditz each chipped in an RBI single with one out before Kyle Cortopassi drove a two-out, full-count pitch off the left field wall to make the score 5-0.
Grant Meylan kept the rally alive with an RBI single and TC Florentine — batting for the second time in the inning — capped an eight-hit frame with an RBI single of his own. Stevie Berman reached on both of his fourth-inning plate appearances; the catcher walked and scored a run, then singled his second time up.
"For the first time all year, I felt like our guys were truly playing for one another, looking to pick eachother up and staying positive — knowing something great was about to happen," head coach Dan O'Brien said. "Today was a huge step forward."
In the fifth, the Gaels (15-10, 6-3 WCC) cut into the Bronco lead with RBIs from four straight batters, and Anthony Gonsolin hit a three-run double down the left field line to tie the contest at seven. Bronco reliever Nick Medeiros (W, 2-1) struck out Conor Thane to end the inning with the go-ahead run at second base.
Santa Clara scored all five of its fifth-inning runs with two outs. Cortopassi started the rally with a single off of Ty Madrigal (L, 1-1) to tally one of his career-high four RBIs on the day. The Broncos added their next four runs on an error, two-run single by Florentine and RBI single from Brodt to take a 12-7 advantage.
"This ballclub showed it can take a punch today," O'Brien said. "The guys had outstanding competitiveness and resiliency."
Five Broncos reached base three times in the winning effort and Florentine drove in three of the team's 12 runs. The three scoring innings that featured 19 runs on 28 hits lasted a little longer than an hour and 32 minutes.
Max Kuhns (SV, 9) struck out the first and last batters he faced, allowing only one Gael to reach safely in 2.0 relief innings to earn the save. His nine saves match Reece Karalus' team-high in that mark from last season.
The Broncos return to Schott Stadium for a matchup with Cal Poly Tuesday at 6 p.m. Santa Clara continues WCC play next weekend against Pepperdine.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 1:01 p.m. … time of the game was 3:36 … attendance was 382.
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