SEASIDE, Calif. – Shooting a second round 6-over-par 294, the Santa Clara men's golf team climbed within six-shots of second place after the first 36 holes of the 19-team Saint Mary's Invitational played today at the Bayonet and Blackhorse Golf Courses.

A tightly contested first day of action leaves the second through ninth place teams within six strokes of each other. The Broncos ended the day tied with Fresno State for ninth place with a 594 (+18) just six shots behind second place St. Mary's (588). Cal leads the field by 18 strokes with a 6-under 570.

Sophomores Carlos Briones and Drew Miller each had spectacular second rounds helping the Broncos to a six shot improvement over the first 18 holes. Briones matched his best round of the season and shot below par for the first time with a 1-under 71. After a first round 76 he is tied with Miller for 15th place with a 3-over 147. Miller shot an even-par 72 after scoring a first round 75.

At 4-under-par 140 Cal's Michael Weaver and San Diego's Grant Forrest will take a two-shot lead into Tuesday's final round ahead of three other players.

Senior Scott Lowe shot an even-par 72 in the first round and fell a stroke behind Briones and Miller after a second round 76. He enters the final round tied for 23rd at +4. Freshmen Evan McLeod scored rounds of 77 and 75 (+8 152) to tie for 49th place and Tyler Kertson scored identical rounds of 77 (+10 154) and sits in a tie for 67th.

Final round action tees off Tuesday with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. on the 7,104-yard, par-72 Bayonet Golf Course. Live stats will be available at www.golfstat.com.

Saint Mary's Invitational Second Round Team Standings

1.      California                   288-282 = 570 (-6)

2.      St. Mary's                  294-294 = 588 (+12)

T3.     San Francisco            301-288 = 589 (+13)

T3.     St. John's                  298-291 = 589 (+13)

5.      Oregon                      297-293 = 590 (+14)

T6.     San Diego                 304-287 = 591 (+15)

T6.     Florida Gulf Coast      297-294 = 591 (+15)

8.      Long Beach State       305-288 = 593 (+17)

T9.    Santa Clara               300-294 = 594 (+18)

T9.     Fresno State              300-294 = 594 (+18)

Santa Clara Second Round Individual Results

T15.   Carlos Briones           76-71 = 147 (+3)

T15.   Drew Miller                 75-72 = 147 (+3)

T23.   Scott Lowe                72-76 = 148 (+4)

T49.   Evan McLeod             77-75 = 152 (+8)

T67.   Tyler Kertson              77-77 = 154 (+10)

T84.   Gio Gandionco*         77-79 = 156 (+12)

*Playing as Individual