SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball capped a three-game sweep of UC San Diego with an 8-4 victory Sunday afternoon. It was the team's fifth win in a row and sixth in the last seven games.
A six-run sixth for the Broncos (7-4) proved to be the difference. After the Tritons (6-7) took the lead in the fifth and added another run in the top of the sixth, Santa Clara jumped all over reliever Sam Hasegawa.
The inning began when JonJon Berring led off with his second triple of the day and after a walk put runners on the corners, Coleman Brigman's bunt brought in a run. Matt Jew followed with a two-run triple to put Santa Clara on 4-3. The big blow came later in the inning when Dawson Brigman blasted a three-run home run to left.
Nick Sando (1-0) was the beneficiary of the big inning and got the win in 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He allowed a run on a hit with five strikeouts. Santa Clara pitching ended up with 14 strikeouts against just three walks.
Berring was 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs to go with his two triples. Michael O'Hara also scored two runs with an RBI and Jew knocked in two with John Hanley picking up an RBI as well.
Hasegawa (1-1) took the loss in 1 inning, allowing six runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. He took over for starter Ryan Forcucci who allowed a hit to the first batter he faced then proceeded to not allow another over his 5 innings of work. In all, he allowed one run with a walk and six strikeouts but got the no-decision.
Cade Pilchard started for Santa but was lifted after just 1 1/3 innings with runners on first and second. Alex Reelfs came in and got out of the mess with a pair of strikeouts.
UC San Diego got to Reelfs in the fifth and took a 2-1 lead. A leadoff single by Michael Fuhrman came in to score when Nick Costello followed with a triple. Costello then came in on a ground out by Austin Smith. The Tritons put two more on in the inning but both were stranded.
Fuhrman had three hits in the game with an RBI and a run scored. Matt Halbach struck out three times but hit a solo home run in the seventh.
INTERVIEW
Hear from head coach Rusty Filter after the #BroncoBoys won their fifth in a row and swept UC San Diego.#StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/EtS9WPJpG3
— Santa Clara Baseball (@SCU_Baseball) March 6, 2022
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The Broncos play at Cal Tuesday at 5 p.m. to being a seven-game road trip.
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