MORAGA, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball overcame allowing the tying run in the bottom of the ninth and beat Saint Mary's 5-3 in 11 innings to open West Coast Conference play on Friday.

The Broncos (10-4, 1-0 WCC), who have won six in row, scored a pair in the third and led all the way until the ninth before the Gaels (5-10, 0-1 WCC) scored on a passed ball to make it a 2-all contest.

Santa Clara was able to push across three in the 11th on an RBI single from Malcolm Williams and a two-run single from JonJon Berring to end up with the win.

Cole Kitchen took a hard luck no-decision but was brilliant as the Broncos' starter. Kitchen allowed an unearned run on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts in 7 innings of work. Skylar Hales (2-1) ended up with the win out of the bullpen. In 2 1/3 innings, he allowed an unearned run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Williams finished the day with four hits and Michael O'Hara added three. Berring ad Coleman Brigman both had two hit days as well.

Bill Ralston was the only Saint Mary's player with two hits and had a double and a run scored while five others had a hit apiece.

Preston Howey (0-2) ended up with the loss out of the bullpen. In 2/3 of an inning, he allowed two runs on two hits with two strikeouts. Derik Eaquinto started and took a no-decision in 4 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.

NEXT UP
The team's play a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 11 a.m.

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