May 4, 2008
LOS ANGELES - The Santa Clara baseball team was victorious Sunday afternoon against Loyola Marymount. The Broncos posted a 5-4 win over the Lions to take the West Coast Conference series, 2-1. SCU is now 9-6 in league games and 29-17 on the season, while LMU dropped to 6-11 in WCC action and 22-26 overall.
The win was awarded to sophomore Steve Kalush (4-2). He pitched 5.1 innings, striking out four. Redshirt sophomore Mark Willinsky earned the save for the Broncos. It was his fifth of the season. The loss went Nate Keadle (1-4). He went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs and striking out just three Broncos.
Offensively, Evan LeBlanc went 3-for-5 on the day with two runs, one home run and one RBI.
The Lions got on the scoreboard first with a solo home run by Angelo Songco. However, the Broncos tied the game and claimed a two-run lead in the top of the third inning.
The tying run was scored by LeBlanc, who got on base with a single to right field and advanced home on a Ryan Conan sacrifice. Tommy Medica scored on the next at-bat as Jon Karcich doubled down the left field line. Medica got on base with a single to right field and then advanced to second on a LMU error by Matt Koch in right field. The score was 2-1.
The Broncos then claimed a 3-1 advantage on a Curtis Wagner base-hit. Karcich scored on the shot. SCU went on to tacked on an additional run in the fifth inning.
Conan doubled down the right field line to get on base, while Karcich was hit by a pitch. Wagner then loaded the bases for the Gabe Alcantar with his single through the right side. Alcantar registered an RBI single to right centerfield to bring home Conan. Nathan Faulkner attempted to drive home another run, but he grounded into a double play to bring the half to a close.
Santa Clara's pitching and defense kept Loyola Marymount scoreless until the ninth inning.
LMU did not give up without a fight and made it a one-run game in the ninth. The Broncos first claimed a 5-1 lead with a solo home run from LeBlanc, but the Lions rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 5-4. A.J. LaMonda singled to center field to bring home Jonathan Johnson and Joe Vierra. Vierra walked to get on base while Johnson doubled to left centerfield. The score was 5-3. The fourth and final run was driven in by Songco, who doubled down the left field line to bring home pinch runner Will Dugoni.
The Broncos return to action on Wednesday, May 7 against the Tigers of Pacific. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Klein Family Field in Stockton.
