Box Score SANTA CLARA, Calif. –
Jake Brodt and
John Cresto each went deep in Saturday's series finale but Portland comes back after surrendering a four run lead to knock off Santa Clara, 7-6. The Pilots (10-16, 4-5 WCC) took two of three in the match up of West Coast Conference squads.
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Broncos (15-10, 4-5 WCC) scored four times including
John Cresto's three-run home run to take the lead for the first time in the game. The Broncos scored all its runs with two outs, getting three consecutive singles, the last one by
Jake Brodt (2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBIs) to cut the Pilots lead to 5-3.
With two runners on, Pilot manager Geoff Loomis brought in closer Connor Knutson who had pitched in each game of the series. Facing the right-hander,
John Cresto (1-for-4, R, 3 RBIs) blasted a home run over the left field fence to put the Broncos up 6-5.
Bronco closer
Eric Lex entered the game in the ninth but the Pilots tallied two runs on three hits to take a 7-6 lead.
In the home half of the ninth, Santa Clara got the potential tying runner on base when
Grant Meylan (1-for-3) singled off Pilot reliever Cameron Richman. However, Richman induced
Austin Fisher to a 6-4-3 double play to end the game to earn his first save of the season.
Connor Knutson (2-1) was credited with the win while Lex (2-3) took the loss.
Santa Clara got all its runs off the bats of Brodt and Cresto. With Portland up 4-0 in the seventh, Brodt hit a two-run homer off Pilot starter Camden Muller to cut the Bronco deficit in half.
The Broncos next plays Stanford at Schott Stadium on Tuesday with the first pitch at 6 p.m. PT.
