SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball split a Sunday doubleheader against Pepperdine at Schott Stadium to close out its third West Coast Conference series of the season. The Broncos edged the Waves 5-4 in Game 1 and Pepperdine overturned a 6-0 deficit to take Game 2 10-7.
The Broncos (14-16, 3-6 WCC) snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Waves (15-15, 6-6 WCC) dating back to the 2012 season.
GAME 1: Broncos Build Early Lead, Win 5-4
Santa Clara scored four runs in the first three innings on its way to a 4-1 lead. Stevie Berman and TC Florentine hit back-to-back RBI singles before the first out of the first inning. After Ben Rodriguez homered with one out in the third, the Broncos added to the lead on a two-run single from Jake Brodt in the third.
Bronco starter Steven Wilson (W, 3-1) allowed four earned runs on nine hits with a walk and five strikeouts in 5.1 innings to earn the win. Pepperdine's Aaron Barnett hit a two-run double to cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth, and Florentine scored on Max Green's wild pitch in the home half of the inning. Santa Clara scored four run (three earned) against Pepperdine starter Max Gamboa (L, 1-4).
Nick Medeiros relieved Wilson with one out, facing runners on the corners in the sixth. Pepperdine pinch hitter Chris Fornaci hit a sac fly to cut the lead to one, and Medeiros issued a fly out to Chase Lambert which stranded the tying run at first base.
Santa Clara's bullpen combined for 3.2 innings and allowed two hits with two strikeouts; Jacob Steffens carried the Broncos through the seventh and eighth innings before Max Kuhns (SV, 10) earned his 10th save the year by issuing three groundouts to shortstop in the ninth.
Brodt topped the Broncos with two RBIs, while Stevie Berman went 2-for-2 and reached base in all four of his trips to the plate. Pepperdine's Matt Crowder led all batters with four hits.
GAME 2: Pepperdine Homers its Way to Comeback Victory
The Waves hit four home runs in the nightcap, including two from Manny Jefferson, who had five RBIs in the game. Jefferson hit a two-run homer in the second and came through with the game's decisive hit on a three-run homer in the seventh.
The Broncos once again opened the scoring in the first inning, starting off with consecutive RBI singles from Brodt and Kert Woods. Pepperdine starter Easton Lucas hit Ryan Budnick with a pitch to load the bases, and Tyler Meditz hit Santa Clara's first grand slam of the season to put the Broncos on top 6-0.
Pepperdine followed Jefferson's second-inning homer with a solo home run from Ben Rodriguez and a two-run triple by Matthew Kanfer to make it a five-run frame. Brad Anderson led off the third with a home run to straightaway center that knotted up the contest at 6-6. Florentine collected his team-best fifth hit of the series on an RBI single in the fifth to help Santa Clara retake the lead. Jefferson's seventh-inning home run off Nick Medeiros (L, 2-2) was his third and the team's seventh of the series.
Kiko Garcia (W, 4-2) dealt 3.1 shutout innings to earn the win in relief and Ryan Wilson (SV, 3) recorded the last four outs to earn his team-leading fourth save of the season. Santa Clara loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth against Wilson, and stranded the potential go-ahead run at first base when Austin Fisher struck out swinging.
Florentine, Woods and Meditz had two hits apiece in Game 2 for the Broncos. Jefferson drove in five runs while Brad Anderson went 2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored for the Waves.
The Broncos cap a nine-game homestand against the New Mexico Lobos (23-9) Tuesday at 6 p.m. They hit the road to face San Diego in WCC play next weekend.
GAME NOTES: First pitch of Game 1 was at 11:01 a.m. … time of Game 1 was 2:49 … first pitch of Game 2 was at 2:21 p.m. … time of Game 2 was 3:06 … doubleheader attendance was 308 … prior to Sunday, Santa Clara's last win over the Waves was a 6-2 victory on April 20, 2012 at Schott Stadium.
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