March 6, 2009
EUGENE, Ore. - Junior right-hander Nate Garcia pitched his first complete game of the season to lead the Santa Clara baseball team out of its four-game slide with a 4-1 victory over Oregon on Friday at PK Park.
Garcia (2-1) struck out a season-high 12 batters over nine innings and held the Ducks to one run on six hits. It is the most strikeouts any pitcher has tallied against the Ducks (3-6) this season. The loss went to Tyler Anderson, who went for 6.2 innings and allowed all four of the Broncos' runs. Four different Broncos (3-4) scored in the series opener. Juan Parra had two RBIs and one run, while Tommy Medica had two doubles, a run and an RBI. Brady Fuerst and Kyle Van Dusen scored the other two runs.
In the bottom of the first inning, a triple from Caleb Tommasini led to Oregon's only run of the game. The Ducks held the 1-0 lead until the fourth inning.
The Broncos broke through the silence as Medica hit an RBI double to left field that brought home Parra. Jon Karcich followed up with a single up the middle that plated Medica. The Broncos were still going with just one out on the board as Geoff Klein's base-hit advanced Karcich to third. However, Curtis Wagner grounded into a double play to close the top of the inning. Santa Clara held a 2-1 edge.
SCU did a good job of holding off any Duck runs. In the fifth inning, Tommasini tripled again but solid Bronco defense quickly ended the inning.
The Broncos then tacked insurance in the seventh. Santa Clara loaded the bases with one out as Wagner walked, Fuerst doubled and Van Dusen was intentionally walked. Santa Clara hoped to plate at least one run off the next batter, but as Lucas Herbst reached on a fielder's choice, Wagner was put out at home. With two outs, Parra hit a solid two RBI single up the middle that brought home Fuerst and Van Dusen. The Broncos won, 4-1.
The Broncos and Ducks continue the series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday, March 7 at PK Park. The series comes to a close on Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m.
