May 5, 2001
By Keith Candau
Media Relations Student Assistant
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University baseball team dropped the second game of the three-game home series against Gonzaga by a score of 9-5. The Broncos are now two games behind the Bulldogs for the Coast Division Championship. Santa Clara's record is now 21-29 and 15-11 in the WCC while Gonzaga improves to 26-21 and 17-9 in the league.
Gonzaga scored early against Bronco starter John Redmond (5-4) as Barry Matthews, one day removed from a complete game, hit a two-RBI double to take a 2-0 lead. Gonzaga scored runs in the third and the fourth innings off of Redmond before he was replaced. Redmond left with four innings pitched allowing four runs to score in a losing effort.
Sophomore Matt Travis relieved Redmond in the fifth inning. After hitting a batter and walking another, Kevin Cave hit another one of Gonzaga's five doubles increasing their lead to 5-0. The Bulldogs added two more runs that inning to take a 7-0 lead.
The Broncos answered in their half of the fifth as they opened the inning hitting three consecutive singles before senior Matt Miller knocked in Kellan McConnell for Santa Clara's first run of the game. Sophomore Joe Diefenderfer also recorded a sacrifice fly that inning to further cut into Gonzaga's lead.
However, the Bulldogs would score two more runs in the seventh off of a two-RBI single by Brian Munhall. Travis would exit the game after pitching three innings giving up five runs.
The Broncos would a run in the seventh off of Kellan McConnell's second career home run, a sharp line drive that cleared the left field fence. Santa Clara scored two more runs in the ninth off of a two-RBI double by Matt Queen, his nineteenth of the season.
Santa Clara finishes the three-game series with Gonzaga on Sunday, May 6 at Buck Shaw Stadium. First pitch is at 1 p.m. That game also marks the final home game of the 2001 campaign and eight Bronco seniors will be honored in their last home game.
