Feb. 27, 2009
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SAN JOSE, Calif. - A late rally in the ninth inning was not enough as the Santa Clara baseball team was edged, 5-4, at San Jose State Friday evening in the first game of the weekend series. The Broncos and Spartans travel up the Alameda to Stephen Schott Stadium for game two of the series on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.
David Berner earned the win for the Spartans after eight innings. He struck out six Broncos and allowed all four runs. Anthony Vega received the save after one inning. He allowed one hit and struck out one. Junior Nate Garcia faced the loss after six innings. SJSU scored all five runs off of Garcia, who also struck out five.
At the plate, Tommy Medica was 2-for-4 as was Geoff Klein. Medica also had two of Santa Clara's four runs, while Klein drove in two of the Broncos' runs.
After a quick fly out to left field, Curtis Wagner single and then scored on a Medica double to right field. The Broncos led 1-0 with one out. Jon Karcich plated Medica with a single through the left side before registering out No. 2 after a Klein double. Karcich attempted to score from first to home on a solid hit from Klein, but was called out at home. The Broncos closed out the top of the first with a strike out from Andrew Biancardi, who earned his first collegiate start in left field.
It seemed like it would a quick bottom of the inning as the Spartans recorded two quick outs. Yet, Jason Martin hit his first home run of the season to put San Jose State on the board, 2-1. Garcia then walked Corey Valine and Alex Sofranac nearly got on base after striking out swinging, but Medica hurled a ball to Wagner for the third and final out. SCU led 2-1.
The Broncos added a run in the third inning as Medica scored on a Heil error as he tried to catch Karcich at first base. The catcher got on base with a single through the right side and then advanced to second on a pass ball. Santa Clara led 3-1.
However San Jose State knotted the score, 3-3, in the fourth inning. Sofranac started the inning with a single and then stole second. He scored on a Michael Drake sacrifice fly to Matt Long in deep left center field. Anthony Aguilera scored the next run as Tyler Heil launched one to right field. The Broncos got out of the inning on a 9-3-6 run down of Heil.
The Spartans then claimed the lead in the fifth inning as Jason Martin scored on a base-hit to Karcich. Karcich had no options to make an out and SJSU took a 4-3 lead. The bases remained loaded for SJSU, but SCU was able to get out of the inning allowing just one run as Drake flew out to Biancardi in left field. San Jose State got insurance at the end of the sixth with Aguilera's first home run of the season. The Spartans led, 5-3.
San Jose State then had the opportunity to widen the gap in the seventh inning. The Spartans loaded the bases with two hit-by-pitches, one from Garcia and one from reliever Alex Rivers. However, the Broncos were able to hold off the Spartans with an infield fly to Karcich and a long fly out to Long.
The Broncos fought hard to knot the score and in the ninth inning they came close. Karcich doubled down the left field line to get on base and Klein responded with an RBI double to right field to bring the shortstop home, 5-4. Juan Parra came in to pinch run for Klein and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from David Abraham. However neither Brady Fuerst nor Lucas Herbst could drive in the game-tying run as Fuerst struck out and Herbst was put out by Craig Hertler.
The Broncos and Spartans continued action on Saturday, Feb 28 at Stephen Schott Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The series then comes to a close on Sunday, March 1 back at Municipal Stadium. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.
