Final
Stats | Action Photos
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Geoff
Klein and Tommy
Medica celebrated Senior Day by hitting homeruns to help Santa
Clara University beat rival University of San Francisco 12-6 Sunday
afternoon at Stephen Schott Stadium. Klein's opposite-field drive
scored Medica in the sixth. Medica then added a three-run shot to
seal the win during a five-run eighth. The two former WCC batting
champs were playing their final home game at SCU.
"In my last game here at Schott Stadium it was great to go
deep," said All-America senior catcher Geoff
Klein. "It was awesome that Tommy (Medica) and I both hit
homers. We came in as catchers together and we're so close, it's
like we're brothers."
Santa Clara (21-26; 6-12 WCC) also received a run-saving
defensive play from senior second baseman Ian
O'Connor. Medica - one of the most accomplished hitters in
Bronco history - went 4-for-5 with a double and homerun No. 12.
Medica's two-out RBI-single in the seventh allowed SCU a one-run
lead prior to the offense erupting for five in the eighth.
"The senior ceremony was emotional," said Santa Clara head coach
Mark
O'Brien. "They have all done a lot for this program. They're
all good human beings and they all have had special careers. I
can't say enough about them."
San Francisco (24-24; 7-7 WCC) was denied the weekend sweep. USF
scored 24 runs on 27 hits in victories Friday and Saturday. The
Dons are in third place in the WCC standings behind league-leading
and No. 22 University of San Diego (30-16; 15-0 WCC) and the
University of Portland (31-12; 12-3 WCC).
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, USF tied the game on an RBI-single by
Jason Mahood. The Dons would have taken the lead later in the
inning if not for a diving play by O'Connor. The defense supported
the effort of SCU freshman starter Chris
Mendoza, paying immediate dividends in the bottom of the inning
when a two-run homer by Matt
Ozanne put the Broncos back in front 4-2.
Medica led off the bottom of the sixth with his team-leading
18th double and trotted home moments later when Klein hit a 1-2
pitch from Matt
Hiserman (1-3) on top of the batting cages beyond the fence in
leftfield.
The Dons strung together four straight hits in the seventh off
Mendoza and reliever Jon
Hughes, including a triple by junior Stephen Yarrow. The SCU
lead was sliced from 6-2 down to one, 6-5 but Hughes used a pair of
strikeouts to get Mendoza out of the inning.
Mendoza (4-4) worked into the seventh allowing four earned runs
to even his 2010 record. J.R.
Graham appeared with two-on and one-out in the eighth and
closed the door, retiring the final five batters needed to save his
fourth game.
In the meantime, Ozanne and Medica provided SCU with five
insurance runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Ozanne
hit a 2-RBI single and Medica lifted a 2-2 offering from reliever
Haden Hinkle down the line in left. Ozanne collected four RBI,
scoring twice, going 3-for-4.
"It's been pretty special being around these guys for the last
four years. We've really grown up together since our freshman
season," said senior pitcher Steve
Kalush reflecting on the end of the 2010 home season.
GAME NOTES: Sunday's game featured a series of
promotions and a pregame ceremony surrounding Mother's Day, Fan
Appreciation Day and the recognition of Santa Clara's six
final-year student-athletes (Tommy
Medica, Geoff
Klein, Nate
Garcia, Alex
Rivers, Steve
Kalush and Ian
O'Connor)... freshman INF Drew
Ozanne (.333 BA) made his first start at third base Sunday -
Ozanne and his twin brother OF Matt
Ozanne (.396 BA) figure to be a big part of SCU's future,
emerging as everyday players in late-April and early May... Matt
Ozanne's two-run homer Sunday was his second in as many days...
counting two `neutral site' games SCU played during the Jack
Gifford Memorial Tournament in March, the Broncos finish their 2010
home schedule 15-15.