Box Score
SANTA CLARA, Calif. --- After the Portland Pilots twice rallied from behind to tie the score, the Santa Clara Broncos notched the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning before holding on for a 5-4 win in a West Coast Conference baseball game played on Sunday afternoon at Stephen Schott Stadium. The win allows the Broncos to avoid the series sweep.
Portland won the first two games against the Broncos and now sits at 16-6 on the season and at 3-3 in the WCC. Santa Clara picks up its first league win to improve to 1-5 in the conference and to 16-9 overall.
After struggling to score during the first two games in the series, the Broncos were able to jump out to a 3-0 lead against UP starter Chris Johnson. Santa Clara scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the second inning when Justin Gisch knocked in Drew Ozanne with a two-out RBI double. Ozanne had previously reached on an error that extended the inning.
The Broncos then claimed a 3-0 lead after Pat Stover hit a two-run homer to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth.
But the Pilots were unfazed, answering with three runs in the top of the sixth inning to even the score at 3-3. Colin Sowers accounted for Portland’s first run with a solo homer to left with one out. The long fly is not only Sowers’ first career homer, but it’s also the sophomore outfielder’s first hit as a Pilot in 18 career at bats.
Beau Fraser would soon follow with a two-out, two-run bases loaded single up the middle to tie the score. Nick Armenta tried to score all the way from first base on the play, but he was thrown out at home for the final out of the inning.
After the Broncos took the lead back with a run in the bottom of the frame, Portland once again had the answer. This time it was Brian Frattali to come through with an RBI single with two outs and runners on the corners. The Pilots would then load the bases, but reliever Paul Twining was able to induce an inning-ending pop out to preserve the 4-4 tie.
SCU’s Andrew Biancardi then provided what proved to be the game-winning RBI with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh.
The Pilots did get runners on base during both the eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to capitalize. Portland, which out-hit Santa Clara 9-6, stranded 10 runners on base against the Broncos.
Twining (3-2) takes the win for Santa Clara after tossing the final 2.1 innings. He allowed two hits and struck out one. Starter Powell Fansler last 6.0 innings, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks, while reliever Max Deering pitched to just five batters, all in the seventh inning.
Johnson, a junior righty, doesn’t figure into the decision for Portland after throwing 5.0 innings. He struck out six Broncos, scattered five hits and walked one. He was charged with four runs, three of which were earned.
Sophomore left-handed reliever Brandon Snyder (1-1) is saddled with his first career loss after working the final 3.0 innings. Biancardi was the only Bronco to get a hit off of Snyder, who didn’t issue a walk and fanned two.
At 16-6, the Pilots have matched the program’s second best record ever after 22 games. Portland last opened a season 16-6 in 2010.
The Pilots next return to the Pacific Northwest for a non-conference game against the No. 19 Oregon State Beavers on Tuesday evening in Corvallis. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. at Goss Stadium.
