SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara baseball begins an eight-game road trip when it heads to Moraga, Calif. for a three-game series with the Saint Mary's Gaels this weekend. First pitch times are set for 3 p.m. PDT Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Last weekend, the Broncos won two of three games against Gonzaga at Schott Stadium. Santa Clara trailed 2-1 heading into the eighth inning Friday night before the Bulldogs scored 12 runs in the last two innings to win 14-1. On Saturday night, the Broncos scored four straight runs to close out the ballgame for a 5-2 win. On Sunday, the Broncos scored four times in the first inning and went on to win 6-5 on the 10th anniversary of Stephen Schott Stadium.
Santa Clara lost 9-7 in its midweek contest against UC Davis, as the Aggies plated six runs in the road seventh inning.
Saint Mary's lost two of three games over the weekend against San Diego at Guisto Field. On Friday, the Gaels rallied for five runs in the ninth inning to tie the game at 8-8, and San Diego scored two runs in the 15th inning to win 10-8. The Gaels walked off on a double by Collin Ferguson as part of a three-run ninth to win 10-9 Saturday. The Toreros scored all seven of their runs in the third inning to take the series Sunday with a 7-4 win.
The Gaels enter the weekend after midweek defeats against Nevada at Peccole Park: 12-5 Tuesday and 8-1 Wednesday.
STARTING PITCHERS
Friday, May 1
RHP Reece Karalus (1-5, 2.75 ERA) - LHP Johnny York (5-4, 3.59 ERA)
Saturday, May 2
RHP Eric Lex (3-4, 5.56 ERA) - RHP Corbin Burnes (6-4, 2.59 ERA)
Sunday, May 3
RHP Steven Wilson (3-3, 3.47 ERA) - TBA
SERIES INFO
Game 44: Friday, May 1, 2015 — 3 p.m. PDT
Game 45: Saturday, May 2, 2015 — 1 p.m. PDT
Game 46: Sunday, May 3, 2015 — 1 p.m. PDT
Venue: Louis Guisto Field — Moraga, Calif.
Video: TheW.tv
Audio: portal.stretchinternet.com/santaclara (David Gentile)
Live Stats: www.saintmarys.statbroadcast.com
Series Record: 158-113 SCU
First Meeting: 1883
5/16/14: SMC 6 - SCU 3 (Schott Stadium)
5/17/14: SCU 10 - SMC 6 (Schott Stadium)
5/18/14: SCU 7 - SMC 6 (Schott Stadium)
BRONCOS
Reece Karalus makes his 22nd appearance and third start of the season Friday night. The junior set a career high with 11 strikeouts in his last start Friday night against Gonzaga. He threw 7.0 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits with no walks. In his first start of the season, Karalus threw 5.0 innings and allowed an earned run on six hits with no walks and a strikeout April 18 at No. 6 TCU as part of a 1-0 loss in the series opener. He has allowed three earned runs in 12.0 innings over two starts with the Broncos this season. Karalus made one start for the Broncos in 2014. He went 0-9 with a 7.04 ERA in 19 appearances and 12 starts as a freshman in 2013.
Karalus is one of 39 pitchers named to the 11th Annual NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch list. He was also named to the list during his sophomore campaign with SCU. He ranks 3rd in program history with 21 career saves and has earned nine of those saves in 2015. Anthony Rea (2001-05) and Mike McDonald (1994-97) share the program record with 25 career saves. Karalus recorded the second-most saves in Bronco single-season history with 11 in 2014, earning First-Team All-WCC honors.
Eric Lex makes his 10th appearance and eighth start of the season Saturday. He allowed two earned runs on 11 hits with two walks and a strikeout in 5.0 innings last Saturday vs. Gonzaga. He did not allow an earned run over an 11.2 inning span March 1 - April 4. The Broncos have combined to score only 24 runs in the nine games Lex has appeared in this season (2.67 rpg).
Steven Wilson makes his 11th start of the season Sunday. The redshirt sophomore made nine starts on the weekend for the Broncos to begin the season before a midweek start last Tuesday vs. UC Davis. Wilson allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with a walk and no strikeouts against the Aggies. He has logged seven quality starts on the season and allowed an earned run or less in four of his nine weekend starts.
Mitchell White recorded his first two career saves in consecutive days against Gonzaga last weekend. Max Kuhns retired all 12 batters he faced over two wins against the Bulldogs.
Grant Meylan's 33 walks have eclipsed Santa Clara's leader from last year, the then-freshman Berman who posted 30 for the season. Meylan has already recorded the most walks in a single season since 2009, when Curtis Wagner drew 32. Matt Long drew 36 walks for the Broncos in 2008. Ed Giovanola's single-season record of 55 walks has stood since 1989.
Stevie Berman has hit safely in five straight games entering the weekend, including a three-hit contest against Cal Poly April 21 and a four-hit contest against UC Davis April 28. He leads the Broncos with a .340 batting average on the season. T.J. Braff has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, and has driven in a run in three straight contests for the Broncos entering the weekend.
GAELS
Zack Kirtley tops the Gaels with a .354 batting average on the season. Anthony Villa has driven in 33 runs and collected 18 extra-base hits while Collin Ferguson has 32 RBIs and a team-best 23 extra-base hits. Ferguson has also drawn 36 walks on the season. Anthony Gonsolin tops the squad with 10 stolen bases on the year.
Johnny York is the only Gael pitcher to be used exclusively in a starting role this season. Corbin Burnes leads the team with 72 strikeouts and has thrown three complete games this season. Gonsolin, two-way players, has a team-high seven saves this season for the Gaels.
