SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara baseball puts itself back on the map in 2023. The Broncos tied for second in the West Coast Conference and went on to win their first ever WCC Tournament Title and their first conference title since 1997 en route to postseason play for the first time since that same year.
 
How did they do it? Power, patience, speed, and pitching. Below are some of the impressive numbers that led the Broncos on their historic campaign.
 
Santa Clara found its power stroke this season. The Broncos 72 home runs were the most in program history, besting the previous record of 62 set in 1984. Their 103 doubles were also the most since 2014 and helped lead the team to a program best .491 slugging percentage.
 
Efrain Manzo was the big bat in a lineup full of them. He had the most home runs (17) since 2003, the most total bases (141) since 2010, the highest slugging percentage (.668) since 2003, and the most extra base hits (38) since 2002.
 
Santa Clara finished the year with 269 walks, their most since 1997. All the walks and a .298 batting average, led by 552 hits, the most since 2010, led to a .410 team on-base percentage that was the best since 2010.
 
All the baserunners helped the team score 552 runs which was the most since 2010.
 
On the basepaths, the Broncos stole 79 bases, their most since the 1998 season. For the first time since 2004, they had four players (Malcolm Williams 19, JonJon Berring 16, Dawson Brigman 13, and Coleman Brigman 10) reach double-digit in steals. C. Brigman became the first Bronco to reach double figures in steals and home runs (12) since Tommy Medica in 2010.
 
On the mound, Santa Clara had a 4.57 team ERA which was good for 40th in the country and tops in the WCC. The Broncos limited walks, finishing 25th nationally and second in the conference with 3.55 BB/9 and hits, allowing 8.3 H/9 which was 24th in the nation and first in the WCC. The team's WHIP of 1.32 was 12th in the nation and tops in the WCC. Their strikeout to walk ratio of 2.44 was 32nd in the country and second in the league.
 
All the strong play led to eight Broncos being named All -WCC. Skylar Hales, Blake Hammond, and Michael O'Hara were named to the second team with JonJon Berring, C. Brigman, Manzo, and August Souza nabbing honorable mention. Thomas Ferroggiaro was named all-freshman.
 
Their good work continued in the postseason with D. Brigman being named the WCC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and joining C. Brigman, Manzo, and Brandon Gomez on the all-tournament team.
 
Eamonn Lance and Cade Pilchard wrapped-up the season by being named to the Fayetteville All-Regional Team.
 
The final bit of good news came on Day 2 of the Major League Baseball Draft. Skylar Hales was selected with the seventh pick of the fourth round, 108th overall, by the Texas Rangers. It was the program's highest pick since Mitch White went in the second round, 65th overall in 2016 by the Los Angeles Dodgers. White is currently in the Major Leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays.

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