SANTA CLARA, Calif. - San Diego scored two runs in the top of the ninth taking advantage of a Santa Clara baseball miscue to win 2-1 in the series opener on Friday at Stephen Schott Stadium.

 

Trailing 1-0 heading to the final inning and facing Bronco closer Travis Howard, the Toreros (23-8, 9-4) got a leadoff single from Caleb Ricketts.  Kevin Sim followed with a single, his second of the game, but the ball skirted under centerfielder Coleman Brigman's glove allowing Ricketts to score all the way from first to tie the game at 1-all.

 

The two base error put Sim at third who scored on Paul Kunst's sacrifice fly to centerfield, just beating the throw from Brigman, for the go ahead run.

 

Up to that point, the Bronco pitching staff held the potent San Diego lineup in check.  Starter Russell Grant tossed five scoreless innings, scattering four hits, fanning six and pitcking off two runners.  Relievers Cole Kitchen and Nick Sando combined for three hitless innings with Kitchen escaping a bases loaded, one out jam in the sixth.

 

Santa Clara (12-21, 5-11) scored their run in the fourth on Tony Boetto's RBI sacrifice fly.  Mike Bowes hit a leadoff double off San Diego starter Jake Miller and moved to third on a throwing error by Miller who was attempting a pickoff before Boetto brought him home.

 

None of the three runs scored in the game were earned.

 

Ivran Romero (3-1) picked up the win getting all three outs in the eighth.  He entered the game with a runner at first and no out but made a diving catch on Coleman Brigman's bunt attempt for the first out.  San Diego then doubled up the runner at first on Jason Dicochea's sharp liner to the third baseman.

 

In the bottom of the ninth, the Broncos put the tying runner at first against Kieran Shaw but the Toreros closer retired the next three batters to end the game and pick up his sixth save of the season.

 

Will Worthington went 2-for-3 but was picked off by Grant after each of his hits.

 

Bowes was the lone Broncos with multiple hits going 2-for-4. 
  

The Broncos and the Toreros play the second game of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

 

Except for parents and guardians of Santa Clara student-athletes, fans will not be permitted in Stephen Schott Stadium. Due to a spike in COVID-19 cases with the campus community and despite an improvement, we were unable to allow spectators until this weekend as the priority continues to be the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff. The university will continue to evaluate policies for access to events. While the state of California announced guidance for outdoor seated venues on April 1, the university reserves the right to be more cautious than public health guidance.