Posted: Mar 23, 2019
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Russell Grant II and Ethan Heinrich combined to hold CSUN to just one earned but were outdueled by Wesley Moore and Blake Schriever who shutout Santa Clara baseball, 2-0, on Saturday in a nonconference game.
The CSUN (11-13) pitching duo combined to strikeout 10 Broncos, allowed five hits and one walk. Meanwhile, Grant II pitched effectively to allow two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. Heinrich pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed two hits. Neither Bronco pitchers issued a walk.
The Matadors broke a scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth on Robert Bullard's (1-for-2, RBI) two-out RBI single up the middle that scored Wesley Ghan-Gibson (1-for-3, R) from second. Ghan-Gibson reached second when he singled with one out and advanced on a passed ball.
In the sixth, CSUN added to its lead on a double steal by Kyle Barret (2-for-4, R) and Austin Elder (1-for-4) with Barret stealing home. Both Matador runners reached base on back-to-back singles off Grant who was relieved by Heinrich.
Heinrich got cleanup hitter Sean Skelley to fly out which allowed Barret to advance to third. With Blake Doremus at the plate, the Matadors successfully completed the double steal.
The Broncos (3-17) got back-to-back singles by Jason Dicochea (2-for-3) and Ryan McCarthy (1-for-4) to lead off the seventh against Moore but Schriever came in relief and induced a double play to thwart the Santa Clara threat.
SCU had another opportunity in the ninth when Dicochea drew a two-out walk, bringing the potential tying run to the plate in McCarthy but Schriever got a strikeout to close out the game and pick up a three-inning save.
Moore moved to 3-1 on the season and Grant II fell to 0-2.
With both teams utilizing two pitchers each, the game only took 2 hours 19 minutes to complete.
NEXT UP
The series finale is on Sunday at 1 p.m. CSUN will send a left-hander for the second game in a row in Isaiah Nunez (3-2, 4.15 ERA). The Broncos starter is TBA.
