April 2, 2005
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - After dropping the opening game of a doubleheader at Portland, the Santa Clara baseball team earned its first West Coast Conference win of the season with a 5-3 victory in the second game. The Broncos improve to 14-15 on the season and 1-7 in WCC play. The Pilots stand at 11-17, 2-7 in conference action.
The Pilots used a six-run fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie and grab the lead for good. First baseman Matthew Peters had the big hit of the rally with a three-run homer to left field.
Sophomore center fielder Justin Ehlers went 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI in the game, while Nik Kosach and Jesse Rodgers added two hits each for the Pilots.
Freshman right-hander Mike Stutes (4-4) took the loss, surrendering seven runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work. Nathan Faulkner led Santa Clara with two hits in the game.
After allowing one run in the first inning of the second game, the Broncos tied it in the fifth as Dustin Realini brought home Kevin Drever with an RBI-single through the left side.
SCU took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the sixth as Drever chased UP starter Sean Sargent with a run-scoring single. Pilot freshman Chris Siegfried came on in relief and walked the first two batters he faced, the latter with the bases loaded accounting for the second run of the frame.
Portland got a run back in the bottom of the sixth as Jesse Rodgers walked and later scored on a groundout by Justin Ehlers.
Pilot junior Nik Kosach started the eighth with a walk and was replaced at first by pinch runner Billy Krause. A balk by SCU reliever Patrick Overholt advanced Krause to second and UP pinch hitter Cory Wiltshire belted a clutch, two-out double down the right field line to tie the game at 3-3.
SCU center fielder Robert Perry laid down a perfect bunt to start the ninth inning and was sacrificed to second. After a walk and groundout, Jason Matteucci came to the plate with two runners on and two outs. Matteucci doubled down the right field line, scoring both runners to give the Broncos a 5-3 victory.
Matteucci finished with three hits, a run and two RBI in the late game, while Drever sparked the Broncos in the leadoff spot with three hits as well.
Bronco pitchers combined to limit the Pilot bats to three hits in the game. Overholt earned the win and improved to 1-3 on the season.
Santa Clara will return to the Bay Area for four game next week. SCU will travel to Stanford to wrap-up a seven-game road swing on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Broncos return to Buck Shaw Stadium on Friday night for a 6 p.m. WCC contest against San Diego to open a three-game series.
