Posted: Mar 02, 2019
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball was handed two defeats on Saturday in the twi-night doubleheader, falling to Cal State Bakersfield, 3-1, in the first game and 8-4 in the second.
Game 1: Cal State Bakersfield 3 – Santa Clara 1
Cal State Bakersfield hurler Ethan Skuija threw a complete game four-hitter that featured 11 strikeouts and one walk to lead the Roadrunners to a 3-1 win over Santa Clara baseball in game one of the twin bill.
The right-handed Skuija was perfect through the first four frames before Ryan McCarthy (1-for-4) led off the top of the fifth with an infield single that ricocheted off Skuija's leg.
Against Santa Clara starter Brendan Ecklebarger, the Roadrunners (3-8) put the leadoff man on base in the first two innings but could not take advantage. Ecklebarger pitched out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the second.
However, in the bottom of the third, CSUB pushed a run across on a squeeze play by Jake Ortega that brought home Jesse Rowley (1-for-3, 2 R) who drew a one out walk and advanced to third on a throwing error by Ecklebarger.
The Roadrunners added a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Daniel Carrizosa (1-for-3, RBI) and another in the fifth on sacrifice fly RBI by Ryan Koch (0-for-3, RBI) to give Skuija a 3-0 lead.
Santa Clara (3-6) broke through with a run in the top of the sixth on Jason Dicochea's (0-for-2, RBI) sacrifice fly RBI to score Blake Faddoul (1-for-3, R). The Broncos put runners at the corners on back-to-back hits by Faddoul's double, followed by Cam Allie's (1-for-4) single.
Brandon Buckley who came in relief of Ecklebarger in the fourth inning, pitched effectively to keep the Broncos within striking distance. The redshirt sophomore pitched the final 4 2/3 innings and allowed just one run on four hits and did not issue a walk.
In the ninth, Dicochea drew a leadoff walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Jake MacNichols, who had homered in three consecutive games entering Saturday, struck out and Skuija retired the next two to finish the game.
Skuija (1-1) threw 116 pitches to pick up the win while Ecklebarger (1-1) took the loss.
Game 2: Cal State Bakersfield 8 – Santa Clara 4
Noah Barba hit a go-ahead two-RBI triple with two outs in the sixth inning to lift Cal State Bakersfield to an 8-4 win over Santa Clara in the nightcap.
The top half of the Cal State Bakersfield (4-8) lineup provided the offense to drive home seven runs and collected eight hits. But the number eight and nine hitters, Tyler Jorgensen (0-for-2, R) and Daniel Carrizosa (1-for-3, 2 R) drew back-to-back walks in the bottom of the sixth with two outs to set the table for Barba.
Leading 4-3, Broncos reliever Michael Praszker entered the game in the sixth and promptly retired the first two batters before walking Jorgensen and Carrizosa to allow the top of the lineup to come to at-bat. Barba tripled to center to score both runners to give the Roadrunners a 5-4 lead. Evan Berkey (1-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBIs) followed with an RBI single to bring home Barba to complete the three-run inning.
Santa Clara (3-7) held one run leads on three occasions including the last one in the top of the sixth on Cam Allie's (0-for-4, RBI) successful squeeze bunt that gave the Broncos a 4-3 lead but each time the Roadrunners came back.
Jake MacNichols scored the first Bronco run of the game on a solo home run to tie the game at 1-all. For MacNichols, its was his fourth home run in the last five games.
Jason Dicochea (2-for-4) was the only Bronco with a multi-hit game.
Left-hander Russell Grant II had his most effective outing of the season striking out eight Roadrunners over 4 1/3 innings while allowing four hits and two runs in relief of starter Alex Reelfs.
CSUB's Roman Angelo (1-1) got the win and Praszker (0-2) was saddled with the loss.
Notes
All 11 Broncos home runs this season have been solo shots.
Next up
The Broncos and the Roadrunner plays its series finale on Sunday at noon.
