May 8, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara returns to West Coast Conference action this weekend at Saint Mary's. The Broncos and Gaels open the series on Friday, May 8 at 3 p.m. The series continues on Saturday and Sunday with 1 p.m. first pitches each day. All three games will be played at Louis Guisto Field in Moraga.
Battle on the Mound
Friday • Nate Garcia (3.50 ERA, 6-4, 87 K) vs. Brian Justice (4.24 ERA, 6-3, 53 K)
Saturday • TBA vs. Scott Schneider (4.37 ERA, 6-4, 64 K)
Sunday • TBA vs. Nathan Gonzales (4.29 ERA, 3-2, 24 K)
Follow The Broncos Online!
All three games this weekend will feature live stats via www.SMCGaels.com.
Last TIme Out
Santa Clara has won its last two of three games, with its most recent win coming on Wednesday night against Stanford. The Broncos posted a 13-9 victory to prevent the series sweep. The Cardinal won the season series, 3-1. Senior Kevin Madden scored three runs for SCU, while senior Brady Fuerst posted a game and season-high four RBIs.
A Night of Firsts
Helping the Broncos to the win Wednesday night, redshirt sophomore Cory Hall earned his first collegiate win. Freshman J.R. Graham also had a solid outing as he hit is first career home run and then came into pitch his first career save.
Bronco Watch
Santa Clara enters the weekend with a 17-28 overall record and a 4-11 WCC record. Geoff Klein continues to lead the team batting .397 with 71 hits, five home runs and 51 RBIs. Jon Karcich is second hitting .355 and leads with 20 doubles. Matt Long leads with 37 runs scored and six triples. He is second with four home runs and 28 RBIs. On the mound, Nate Garcia leads the Broncos with 87 strikeouts in 82.1 innings. He has made 11 starts and tossed three complete games.
Scouting Saint Mary's
The Gaels enter the weekend with a 27-24 overall record and an 8-10 WCC record. The Gaels are paced by Troy Channing who bats .377 with 19 home runs, 70 RBIs and 44 runs scored. Kyle Jensen leads with 12 doubles and is second with 15 homers. It has not been announced who the Broncos will face on the mound, but as a team SMC owns a 5.22 ERA.
Last Time vs. Saint Mary's
Santa Clara and Saint Mary's last met on May 9-11, 2008 at Stephen Schott Stadium. The Broncos swept the series with scores of 12-6, 9-8 and 14-6.
All-Time vs. Saint Mary's
Friday's game marks the 254th all-time meeting between Santa Clara and Saint Mary's. SCU leads the series 152-102.
On Deck
SCU makes a quick stop back at the Mission Campus on Tuesday, May 12 for its final home game of the 2009 season. The Broncos host the Aggies of UC Davis at 6 p.m. at Stephen Schott Stadium.
In the WCC
Through all-games, the Broncos are tied for first in doubles and tied for third in strikeouts. Individually, Klein leads the WCC in batting average and is third in RBIs and hits. Garcia leads the WCC in innings pitched, strikeouts and complete games. See page 6 of the notes for the complete list.
On the National Stage
As a team, Santa Clara is ranked in the top 100 in doubles (No. 32), doubles per game (No. 26), strikeouts per nine innings (No. 56), walks per nine innings (No. 77) and fielding percentage (No. 80) . Individually, the Broncos have nine different players ranked in 22 categories. The highest rankings belong to Long (No. 12 - triples), Garcia (No. 14 - strikeouts) and Karcich (No. 15 - doubles). See page 6 of the notes for the complete list.
Going...Going...Gone!
Kyle Van Dusen, Fuerst and Graham were the most recent Broncos to go long. Van Dusen registered his second of the season on Senior Day against San Diego State (May 2). Both Fuerst's and Graham's came in the midweek game against Stanford. The Broncos have 21 homers on the season.
Bronco Record Book Update
With his sixth triple of the season in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against San Diego State, Long is now tied for No. 7 with Gordy Hahn (1975-77) on the single-season triples list. He also moved to tied for No. 2 on the all-time list with 14 career triples. Karcich also climbed into the record books with his 20th double of the season. He is now tied for 10th on the all-time and single-season lists.
SCU Record Books Watch List
> Long is now tied for No. 2 all-time in triples (14)
> Long is now No. 3 all-time in hits (260)
> Long is now No. 4 all-time in at bats (843)
> Long is now tied for No. 4 all-time in runs (154)
> Long is now No. 5 all-time in total bases (380)
> Long is tied for 7th in single-season triples (6)
> Long is now No. 9 all-time in walks (96)
> Long is now No. 9 in all-time extra base hits (70)
> Long is tied for 10th in single-season sac flies (5)
> Karcich is now tied for No. 6 in hit by pitch (25)
> Karcich is now tied for No. 10 all-time in career doubles (46)
> Karcich is now tied for No. 10 in single-season doubles (20)
> Garcia is tied for No. 6 in single season hit batsmen (13)
> Garcia is tied for No. 8 all-time in hit batsmen (22)
> Garcia is now No. 10 all-time in career strikeouts (236)
> Long 7 home runs away from entering the all-time list
> Karcich is 8 home runs away from entering the all-time list
> Fuerst is 7 doubles away from entering the all-time list
> Fuerst is 2 doubles away from entering the single-season list
> Klein is 2 doubles away from entering the single-season list
> Klein is 6 RBIs away from entering the single-season list
> Garcia is 5 starts away from entering the all-time list
> Kalush is 1 save away from entering the all-time list
