MORAGA, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball split a doubleheader at Saint Mary's on Saturday to take the first West Coast Conference series of the year. The Broncos (11-5, 2-1 WCC) dropped the first game 12-0 but bounced back to beat the Gaels (6-11, 1-2 WCC) 11-0 in the finale.

Game 1
Saint Mary's pitching shut down the Santa Clara offense in the first game of the day, led by starter Connor Linchey (1-1) who went 5 innings and allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out seven.

On offense, Christian Almanza had a big game with two home runs and five RBIs. Blake McDonald and Seth Nager both had two RBIs with Nager also collecting two hits and scoring a pair of runs.

Jared Feikes (0-2) started and took the loss in 6 1/3 innings of work. He gave up six runs, four earned, on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Michael O'Hara and Coleman Brigman were the two Broncos with a hit.

Game 2
The second game saw the tables turned as Brandon Gomez shutdown the Gaels offense with a complete game gem and the Broncos offense exploded.

Gomez (3-0) allowed just three hits and didn't walk a batter while striking out nine to set the tone.

O'Hara and JonJon Berring both had three hit games with C. Brigman, Berring, and Nick Bacura each driving in two runs. O'Hara, C. Brigman, Robert Hipwell, Efrain Manzo, and Ben Steck also scored twice with C. Brigman and Steck also having multi-hit games.

Santa Clara jumped on Saint Mary's starter Ryan Wiltse with three runs in the first. Wiltse (0-5) would be lifted after the inning and allowed three runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout. The bullpen would give up single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings, before a five-run eighth all but put the game away.

Gavin Napier, Nick Mistone, and McDonald were the three Gaels to reach, all via singles.

NEXT UP
The Broncos play San Diego at home beginning Friday.

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