April 28, 2001
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team recorded season-highs in runs and hits and extended its win streak over Loyola Marymount to seven-straight games dating back to last season with a 15-6 win over the Lions in a West Coast Conference game Saturday at George Page Field.
Santa Clara improves to 20-26 on the season and 14-9 in the WCC. The Broncos remain in a tie for first-place in the Coast Division of the WCC with Gonzaga after the Zags defeated USF 2-1 Saturday. LMU falls to 16-34 and 4-19 in the WCC. Santa Clara has amassed 40 hits in the first two games of the series.
Bronco batters recorded 21 hits in the game, led by senior Matt Queen who went 4-for-6. Senior right fielder John Hilvert went 2-for-3 with four RBI and Matt Miller finished the day with three hits and two RBI. Freshman John Redmond (5-3) earned the win going six innings and allowing nine hits and five runs in the game. Freshman Anthony Rea earned a save for Santa Clara. LMU starter Vincent Cordova (3-3) took the loss for the Lions.
The Broncos opened the game with back-to-back singles by leadoff hitter Miller and Joe Diefenderfer. Miller scored on a sacrifice fly by Jack Headley. Matt Queen's bunt down the third base line advanced Diefenderfer to second, while Mike Theoharis loaded the bases after being hit by Cordova. Cordova then hit Hilvert, scoring Miller from third. Kellen McConnell drove Queen in on a sacrifice fly to right field before Theoharis was caught in a rundown on a double steal attempt to end the inning.
The Lions answered with a four-run third inning. Zucuto powered a hard-hit shot to McConnell, who was unable to throw-out Milton at home. Perez singled to centerfield, scoring Hirsch and Lockin. Zacuto advanced to third on a double-play grounder by Matt Whitesell and scored when Maffei singled to centerfield. Maffei ended the inning when he was caught stealing at second base. Barton recorded his first career home run to give the Lions an addition run in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend LMU's lead to 5-1.
Santa Clara countered with a five-run explosion in the top of the fifth. Theoharis singled to left field to score Diefenderfer, who walked to lead-off the inning. Headley and Theoharis completed a double steal to put runners on second and third. Hilvert singled just over the third baseman's head to score both runners. After the Lions replaced Cordova with James Clelland, Miller singled to left field to score Hilvert and Norm Hayes, who reached first based after being hit by a pitch, to give the Broncos an 8-5 lead.
The Broncos extended their lead in the top of the sixth inning. Headley ledoff the inning with a double to right centerfifeld and advanced home on a single to left field by Queen. Queen advanced to third when Theoharis reached second on an error by shortstop Mark Carroll. McConnell reached on a fielder's choice that scored Queen and gave the Broncos a 10-5 lead.
Hilvert recorded his fourth RBI of the game in the top of the eighth inning when he doubled to left field, scoring Queen from first base. Hilvert advanced to third base on a wild pitch then scored on a McConnell single to left field to give the Broncos a 12-5 lead.
Diefenderfer, Headley and Theoharis each doubled in the top of the ninth as the Broncos added two runs in the inning. Pinch hitter Joey Gomes scored Theoharis on a single down the left field line. After substituting seveal pinch hitters, the Lions added three hits and a run in the bottom of the ninth.
The two teams continue its three-game WCC series Sunday at 1 p.m. McConnell is scheduled to start for the Broncos, while the Lions are expected to pitch freshman Joshua Mueke.
