April 6, 2008
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara baseball team lost a hard-fought battle to Portland Sunday afternoon. The final score at Schott Stadium was 6-2. With the win, the Pilots (16-16, 2-4 WCC) take the West Coast Conference series, 2-1. With the loss, the Broncos are now 17-11 on the season and 3-3 in league play.
The win was awarded to Pilots starting pitcher Ari Ronick. He threw 6.1 innings, striking out six Broncos and allowing both SCU runs. The loss went to Donald Brandt, who is now 2-2 on the season.
For the weekend, Brady Fuerst led the Broncos offensively, hitting .462 with three runs and one RBI. Jon Karcich scored a team-best four runs and posted three RBIs.
Portland opened the game with four runs in the first inning and never looked back. Riley Henricks scored first for the Pilots on a Bryant Kraus single through the left side. Henricks got on base with a leadoff single. Danny Meier then registered a three-run home run to left field, allowing C.J. Powell and Kraus to score as well.
The Broncos then ended the potential Pilots no-hitter as Fuerst singled through the left side. Fuerst then scored Santa Clara's first run of the game on a Tommy Medica single.
However, Portland widened the gap in the fifth inning with a Henricks home run to left field. The Pilots led 5-1.
Gabe Alcantar then scored in the sixth inning for the Broncos to make it a three-run game, 5-2. Alcantar got on base with a double to left centerfield and then advanced home on a Geoff Klein double. Yet, Henricks responded for the Pilots with a solo home run to centerfield in the top of the seventh inning to make the score, 6-2.
The Broncos return to action on Wednesday, April 9 against the Golden Bears of California. First pitch in the final game of that series is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. in Berkeley, Calif.
