March 25, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - After holding a 3-0 lead after the second inning, the Santa Clara baseball team dropped a 6-4 West Coast Conference contest at San Francisco on Friday afternoon. The Broncos fall to 13-12 overall and 0-4 in conference play with the loss. The Dons improve to 18-7 with a 5-0 record in WCC action.
The Broncos would score its first run of the series in the first inning on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Robert Perry would record the first hit of the game with a single to right field. Perry then stole second base, his team-high sixth stolen base of the season, to move into scoring position. Catcher Kris Watts brought Perry in with a single to right field and gave Santa Clara the early advantage.
Ryan Conan provided two more SCU runs in the top of the second inning with the first home run of his collegiate career. Following the first Bronco out of the frame, Jason Matteucci reached base with a bunt single. Conan would clear the bases with the first home run of the three-game set to right center field.
The Dons evened the score in the bottom of the third with three runs in the frame. Stefan Gartrell knocked in a pair of USF runs with a bases loaded single to center field before Blake Nelson tied the score with a two-out RBI single. The third run would be unearned after a Bronco error earlier in the inning.
San Francisco took its first lead of the contest in the bottom of the fourth when Lucas DeLong led off the inning with a triple to center field. A single from Royce Fukuroku brought DeLong in and gave USF the lead. The Dons added another run when a two-out double from Andrew Smith scored Fukuroku from second base.
The second Santa Clara home run of the day cut the Don lead in half in the top of the sixth inning. After two-outs, Carl Bacon hit a solo home run over the right field fence to cut the USF advantage to 5-4.
The Dons would retake a two run lead in the bottom of the eighth when DeLong drove in Scott Cousins with a double which bounced over the fence in right field.
Bronco starter Mike Stutes had a strong seven-inning outing allowing five runs, four of which were earned, and posting eight strikeouts.
Matteucci led the Broncos with three hits on the day, while Watts posted two hits in the contest. Conan's two RBIs were a SCU high.
The series will conclude on Saturday at Benedetti Diamond on the campus of the University of San Francisco. Game time is set for 1 p.m. as senior Kellan McConnell is scheduled to make the start on the mound for the Broncos.
