SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Santa Clara Broncos defeated the Portland Pilots 7-6 in the second game of a three-game West Coast Conference baseball series on Friday at Stephen Schott Stadium. Portland falls to 9-16, 3-5 in the WCC, while Santa Clara improved to 15-9 and 4-4 in league play.

Senior catcher Tate Budnick smashed his second home run of the season and finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored to lead the Pilots. Freshman shortstop Chad Stevens had a triple and two runs scored.
 
The Broncos broke an eighth inning tie with a two-out, RBI single from Jason Dicochea scoring Evan Haberle. Portland had runners in scoring position in each of the final two innings, but were unable to convert.

Freddie Erlandson (3-0) earned the win after tossing four innings of relief and allowing just one unearned run. Murphee picked up his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Starter Alex Waldsmith was lifted after surrendering five runs (four earned) through four innings.

Portland lefty Corbin Powers tossed 5.2 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) and struck out four. Nick Shur (0-1) was charged with the loss.

Budnick gave the Pilots an early 2-1 lead with his homer in the second. Santa Clara went ahead 4-2 after three innings, but Portland answered with a three-run fourth. Stevens drilled a run-scoring triple to right center field and then Collin Runge brought him home with a single. Cody Hawken hit a sacrifice fly scoring Budnick to make it 5-4 Pilots.

The Broncos tied it with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Portland regained the lead in the sixth as Stevens got aboard via an error and later scored on Chris Arpan's single. Santa Clara answered in the bottom of the sixth to tie it at 6-6.

Portland finished with six runs on seven hits and committed three errors. Santa Clara tallied seven runs on 13 hits and also had three errors.

The teams will conclude the series on Saturday at Schott Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be aired live on TheW.tv.