PORTLAND, Ore. – Santa Clara scored the game's final five runs to pull out a 7-4 victory over Portland in West Coast Conference baseball action Saturday night at Joe Etzel Field. The weekend series is now tied and sets up a Sunday afternoon rubber match.
Jacob Steffens (2-3) tossed a complete game for the Broncos (6-20, 2-3 WCC) and struck out 11 batters. All four runs allowed were in the third inning, but he was able to scatter eight hits and three walks while allowing three earned runs and throwing 142 pitches.
Kevin Wade and Beau Brundage each went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Pilots and Wade knocked in two runs.
Jake Brodt finished 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI to lead the Broncos. Brodt and Jack MacNichols each drilled home runs for Santa Clara
Trailing 4-3 in the seventh inning, the Broncos took advantage of a pair of Pilot miscues to take a 5-4 lead. After a leadoff single by Andre Nnebe, Brodt drove a high fly ball to left field that was misjudged and dropped in for a double. With runners at second and third, Ryan McCarthy recorded an RBI groundout to shortstop and then Brodt came home on a wild pitch.
MacNichols added an insurance run with a line drive homer to left field to lead off the eighth inning. Another Bronco scored in the ninth after Pilot relievers walked in a run following consecutive hit batsmen.
Tate Budnick (0-6) took the loss in relief for the Pilots (5-21, 1-7) after allowing three runs in 3.0 innings of work. Portland starter Corbin Powers lasted 4.0 innings and surrendered two runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
The Broncos opened the scoring with a two-run homer by Brodt in the top of the first.
Portland answered with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Michael Forgione and Chris Arpan opened the frame with back-to-back singles and then Brundage reached on a throwing error by the pitcher while executing a sacrifice bunt. Forgione scored on the play and then Matt Kelly reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Wade followed with a two-run double for a 3-2 lead and Kelly scored on an RBI groundout by Devin Kopas to double the Pilots margin.
Santa Clara pulled a run back in the fifth when John Cresto walked and then advanced to third when the catcher's pickoff attempt to first was off the mark. He then scored on a passed ball.
The weekend series concludes on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Joe Etzel Field.
