SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball lost at Cal Poly on Tuesday night by a score of 15-0 at Baggett Stadium. Alex McKenna led the Mustangs with five runs batted in, including a three-run home run.
Cal Poly (13-18, 4-2 Big West) bent but did not break against Santa Clara (7-25, 3-6 WCC) in the early innings of Tuesday's game. The Broncos had runners in scoring position in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings but were unable to bring a run in. For the game, SCU went 0-for-9 with runners on base and 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Mustangs capitalized and scored all 15 runs between the fourth and seventh innings.
Sophomore Alex Barden did not allow a hit until the fourth inning of the game. He ran into trouble when he walked the first two batters and then they moved up 90 feet after a sacrifice bunt. The first hit of the game for the Mustangs was a two-RBI single.
He returned to the hill in the fifth inning but allowed a three-run homer and was replaced by freshman right-handed pitcher Luke Genova. Barden struckout the leadoff batter, but the next batter reached on an error and then advanced to second on a bunt single. Alex McKenna then homered to center field to extend the lead to 5-0. Barden moved to 0-1 on the year as he was handed the loss.
The Mustangs tacked on eight more runs in the sixth inning and two in the seventh to lead 15-0.
The Mustang starting pitcher Kyle Smith threw 4.1 innings and allowed two hits while walking three batters. The next three Mustang relievers did not allow a baserunner for the remainder of the game. Cam Schneider (2-2) earned the win, throwing 2.2 perfect innings.
Up Next: Santa Clara hosts Gonzaga in a three-game series beginning on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT at Schott Stadium.