May 9, 2009
MORAGA, Calif. - Santa Clara baseball saw its series with Saint Mary's knot up as the Gaels posted a 7-5 win Saturday afternoon in West Coast Conference action. SCU won the series opener on Friday, 6-5. The two teams will battle in the rubber game to determine the series winner on Sunday, May 10 at 1 p.m. at Louis Guisto Field.
The Broncos dropped to 18-29 on the season and 5-12 in WCC play, while the Gaels improved to 28-25 overall and 9-11 in league action.
The win was earned by reliever Kyle Barraclough (4-5). He tossed 3.2 innings and surrendered one unearned run. The loss went to Bronco reliever Jason Westerberg (1-3). He went three innings and was credited with the game-winning run. He also struck out a game-high three batters.
Junior shortstop Jon Karcich led the team at the plate. He was 2-for-4 with two runs. Senior infielder Brady Fuerst and junior catcher Geoff Klein both scored a run and had an RBI. For SMC, Troy Channing was 2-4 with one run and four RBIs.
Saint Mary's took an early 5-1 lead over the first three innings. The Gaels scored three runs in the first inning off a Channing home run and Justin Fazio base hit. In the second inning, SMC claimed a 4-0 advantage on a Channing single that plated Michael Gastelum.
The Broncos ended the no-hitter in the third inning as Kyle Van Dusen belted one down the left field line for a leadoff double. He then advanced to third on a Matt Long sacrifice and scored on a Kevin Madden single to centerfield. The Broncos got another base runner on as Karcich singled to left field but no more runs could score as Klein grounded into a double play to end the inning. SCU trailed 4-1.
The Gaels made it a 5-1 game by the end of the third inning. With two outs on the board, Chris Murphy tripled to right centerfield scoring Anthony Aliotti, who reached with a base hit.
The game was held scoreless for the next two innings. Yet, in the sixth inning the Broncos rallied to make it a one-run game, 5-4. The leadoff hitter Karcich was hit by a pitch and Klein singled to get two runners on. Karcich was driven home by Fuerst, who got on with a base hit to left field. With a perfectly played sacrifice bunt from Curtis Wagner, Klein and Fuerst advanced giving the Broncos an opportunity to tack on more runs. Klein scored on the next at bat as Andrew Biancardi singled through the left side. With another base hit from Lucas Herbst, Fuerst scored the final run of the inning.
In the seventh inning, SCU knotted the score as Karcich singled and then advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Murphy. The Belmont, Calif., native then scored on another Gaels error. The game was tied 5-5.
However, SCU could not contain SMC as the Gaels added two more runs and successfully retired five of the last six Bronco batters.
After Sunday's series finale, Santa Clara returns to the Mission Campus for its final home game of the 2009 season on Tuesday, May 12 against UC Davis. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Stephen Schott Stadium.
