PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots brought the potential tying run to the plate when they loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Santa Clara Broncos escaped the jam to hold on for a 5-1 win in a West Coast Conference game played on a warm Friday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. The game is the first of three with the Broncos, and it's the final weekend at home this season for the Pilots.
 
Portland starting pitcher Brandon Snyder (0-4) did well to limit Santa Clara's scoring chances and keep the Pilots in the ballgame. The senior lefty scattered 12 hits on the afternoon, struck out four and didn't issue a walk.
 
The Broncos (22-26, 9-13 WCC) scored a run in the second inning, another in the third, one in the sixth and two more in the top of the eighth to claim a 5-0 lead. T.J. Braff was responsible for the run in the second inning with a solo home run, and Jose Vizcaino, Jr., went yard with the bases empty in the eighth. Vizcaino knocked in two runs total, while Jake Brodt went 3-for-3 and claimed Santa Clara's other RBI.
 
The Pilots (10-37, 5-17 WCC) had their chances, finishing with 10 hits total. Portland left 10 runners stranded and Turner Gill was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base in the bottom of the fourth inning. It proved to be a big out as the Broncos were able to maintain their 2-0 cushion at the time.
 
Portland's lone run came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Cody Lenahan doubled to left field for his second double of the game. The extra base hit scored Gill and gave the Pilots runners on second and third with only one out. But Santa Clara starter Reece Karalus induced a fly out to shallow center field and a ground out from the next two batters to end the inning.
 
After the Broncos added those insurance runs in the eighth, the Pilots loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth courtesy a Kevin Farley single, a walk by pinch hitter Cooper Hummel and a bunt single from Michael Lucarelli. But that's when the Broncos turned to their closer Mitchell White, who promptly ended the game with a three-pitch strike out.
 
Karalus (2-6) gets the win after allowing just one run on seven hits and a walk. He fanned five and gave way to reliever Max Kuhns to begin the bottom of the eighth inning. Kuhns tossed an inning-and-two-thirds before being replaced with the bases full of Pilots in the ninth. It's the fourth save of the year for White.
 
Snyder takes the loss as he was charged with all five Santa Clara runs, four of which were earned. Kody Kuhlman and Cole Doherty combined to work the final inning-and-a-third.
 
Lenahan, Farley and Ryan Barr each had two hits for the Pilots, while the Broncos combined for 13 hits total.
 
First pitch on Saturday is set for 1 p.m.