SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Bret Gillis was just too much as Santa Clara baseball dropped its series-opener with Portland 9-0 Friday night.
Gillis (8-1), who entered with the eighth best ERA in the country at 1.58 ERA, was brilliant from the start. In 8 innings, he surrendered just two hits and one walk while striking out 10.
His team gave him all the offense he would need in the fifth when Henry Muench hit a solo shot. The Pilots (24-17, 11-8 WCC) ended up with runs in four of the final five innings, including a pair of multi-run frames to turn it into a bit of a blowout after the early pitcher's duel.
Muench finished the night with two hits and three RBIs and Briley Knight added a solo home run. Nich Klemp knocked in two and Spencer Scott added an RBI as well.
Broncos (23-20, 11-11 WCC) starter Cole Kitchen was terrific as well but took the hard luck loss. Kitchen (4-4) lasted 6 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Matt Jew and John Hanley were on the only ones in the Santa Clara lineup to pick up hits with Coleman Brigman drawing a walk and Eamonn Lance getting hit by a pitch to account for the baserunners.
NOTES
- Bronco pitching now has 18 games with double-digit strikeouts after punching out 11.
NEXT UP
The teams play game two tomorrow at 1 p.m.
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