SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball belted a season-high 15 hits and matched its season-best mark with 13 runs scored in a 13-7 win over Mountain West Conference-leading New Mexico Tuesday night at Schott Stadium. The team scored seven runs in the first two innings and totaled seven extra-base hits en route to its fourth win in the last six games.
The Broncos (15-16) improved to 4-1 in 2016 midweek contests with their victory over the Lobos (23-10).
TC Florentine hit a two-out, RBI single to center field to open the scoring for the Broncos in the first inning. Jake Brodt followed with a two-run homer to right center off Lobo starter Luis Gonzalez (L, 2-1) that put Santa Clara ahead 3-0. Gonzalez, who also started at designated hitter, capped a three-run second inning for New Mexico with an RBI triple down the right field line to tie up the contest.
Santa Clara answered with a four-run second that featured an RBI double from Cortopassi, a two-run double by Tyler Meditz and Florentine's second RBI single in as many frames. The Broncos plated seven earned runs on six hits against Gonzalez; they scored against four of New Mexico's five pitchers as part of the victory.
"Our preparation, competitiveness, discipline at the plate and two-strike approach have all improved," Bronco head coach Dan O'Brien said. "That's where the runs are coming from; guys are making the adjustments needed to get the jobs done. I'm proud of them for that."
Bronco starter Travis Howard tossed three scoreless innings around the three-run second, and allowed six hits with one strikeout in 4.0 innings overall. Peter Hendron (W, 1-2) pitched 3.0 shutout innings and struck out three batters for his best outing of the season against a Lobo team that entered the contest hitting .321 for the year.
"We've all been pulling for Pete lately," O'Brien said. "You could feel the entire dugout behind him tonight. We've all been through tough times and I'm proud of the way Pete has battled through this tough window. He's battling his way back to his old self, and I'm proud of him for that."
Austin Fisher and Cortopassi added RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively, to bookend a four-run fifth for the hosts. Austin Reyes, Cortopassi and Meditz each had an RBI single in the fifth. The Broncos amassed their largest lead of the season at 13-3 in the sixth.
Santa Clara posted 10 two-out RBIs and scored 11 runs with two away on Tuesday night. Cortopassi finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored while Meditz went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Grant Meylan reached base for the 14th-straight game — the longest streak by any Bronco this year — and TC Florentine extended his on-base streak to 11 games.
The Broncos hit the road for the next two weekends, beginning Friday night with a 6 p.m. first pitch at San Diego.
GAME NOTES: First pitch was at 5:59 p.m. … time of the game was 3:20 … attendance was 277.
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