PHOENIX — The Santa Clara University baseball team's offense picked up right where it left off in Friday's season opener on the road, but host Arizona State's offense started hot and gave the Sun Devils enough cushion to hold on for an 11-6 non-conference Opening Day victory at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
 
JonJon Berring hit two home runs, a solo shot in the fourth and a three-run blast in the eighth, and the Broncos (0-1) rallied for two more runs in the ninth. Santa Clara's six runs were its most in a season opener since 2021 (eight at UC Santa Barbara). The Broncos have opened the season against a Pac-12 opponent for three consecutive years, and in each of the previous two series (at USC in 2022, home vs. Washington in 2023) they dropped the series opener, but went on to win at least one game in both matchups.

E8 | @ASU_Baseball 11, #Broncos 4@jonjonberring does it ??????????! ??

This time it's a 3-run shot, his 2??nd HR of the game, and Santa Clara gains some ground

Still have work to do in the 9th#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/zQkPxiz5Sl

— Santa Clara Baseball (@SCU_Baseball) February 17, 2024

Arizona State (1-0) went off for eight runs across the second and third innings to go ahead 8-0 while starter Thomas Burns no-hit the Broncos through three. ASU's offensive outburst included three home runs and three doubles. The Sun Devils totaled 17 hits on the night with 11 extra-base hits (three home runs, eight doubles). Burns (1-0) went the minimum five innings to earn the victory while only allowing the solo shot to Berring. He struck out seven against only one walk and faced only two batters over the minimum.
 
The Santa Clara lineup proved Friday that it carried no offseason rust, though it took a few innings to get going. Berring's first long ball, a solo shot to lead off the fourth, was the Broncos' first hit of the game, and the only hit they'd record for seven frames. Things warmed up in the eighth when Thomas Ferroggiaro started a rally with one of Santa Clara's three hit-by-pitches on the night. Malcolm Williams doubled two batters later, and then Berring sent his second home run over the right-field wall for a three-run shot, making it 11-4 at the time.
 
A quartet of freshmen made their collegiate debuts for Santa Clara Friday. Redshirt freshman Kai Cunningham recorded his first career hit with an RBI single in the ninth to make it 11-5. He later scored his first career run when Jordan Lewis singled him home, making it 11-6. Freshman catcher Koen Carston caught the last innings of the game, Ben Cleary started at designated hitter in his first collegiate game, and Tyler Alleman finished the night on the mound with a scoreless eighth.
 
Other Santa Clara debuts Friday included University of Puget Sound graduate transfer Dylan Joyce starting at first base, and former Sacramento City College teammates Brayden Dotoli and Victor Martinez both throwing in relief.
 
The series continues Saturday with game two slated for a noon first pitch. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.