Jan. 30, 2005
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara baseball team dropped a 5-2 contest to UC Riverside in the third game of its season opening three-game series against the Highlanders on Sunday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium. With the loss, the Bronco's record stands at 1-2 after its first weekend of action.
Neither team was able to break onto the scoreboard until the Highlanders scored one run in the third inning. Freshman Andrew Garcia would post the first run of the game with a solo home run in his first collegiate at-bat.
Another UC Riverside home run would stretch the Highlander lead to four in the top of the fifth inning. Aaron Grant hit a three-run round tripper over the right field fence to bring in Kyle Barratt and Brett Bigler. At the end of four and a half innings, UC Riverside led, 4-0.
Santa Clara would end the shut out in the bottom of the sixth inning when leadoff hitter Ryan Chiarelli singled to right field to start the Bronco inning. A single from Nathan Faulkner would move Chiarelli to third base and put runners at the corners with no outs. Robert Perry would drive Chiarelli in with a RBI single and keep the no-out rally going. However, after a Highlander pitching change, three consecutive outs would leave the runners stranded at the end of the sixth.
After Barratt homered in the top of the ninth inning, the Broncos would add another in the bottom of the frame. Second baseman Dustin Realini doubled down the left field line to start off the inning. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Jason Matteucci drove Realini in with a ground out. Another Highlander pitching change ended the Bronco rally again as no other Broncos reached base in the frame.
Chiarelli and Faulkner led the Bronco offense with two hits each. Perry and Realini drove in both Bronco runs, while freshman Ryan Conan recorded his first collegiate hit with a double.
Freshman Mike Stutes suffered the loss in his first start. He pitched 4.2 innings and struck out four batters, while allowing four runs on five hits. Reliever Scott Lonergan saw his first action of the season, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings and allowing only one hit.
Santa Clara will return to action on Friday when it hosts a three-game series with Utah. Friday's first pitch is set for 3:30 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday's contests will begin at 1:00 p.m.
