SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The calendar has turned over to March, and the Santa Clara University baseball team's pitching staff has turned over a new leaf.
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Four Broncos pitchers limited a Utah offense that's averaged 6.8 runs a game to just two runs Tuesday night, as Santa Clara earned its fourth win in five tries over a Pac-12 Conference member, this time topping the Utes, 5-2, in a non-conference midweek clash at Stephen Schott Stadium.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- Jace Gillmore (1-0), Brayden Dotoli, Victor Martinez and reigning West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week Max Bayles teamed to only allow two runs on four hits while striking out eight. Gillmore lowered his early season ERA by more than 3 1/2 runs with two scoreless frames to start the game. Bayles also threw two scoreless innings to close out the game and earn his first career save. He extended his scoreless streak to 7 1/3 innings across his last four outings while lowering his season ERA to 3.12.
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- Victor Martinez struck out four in two innings of work with only one run allowed. Dotoli allowed one run in three innings of relief, also getting a strikeout. The Santa Clara (7-4) pitching staff has carried a 3.32 team ERA since giving up 38 runs in three games on the road at Arizona State. The team's overall season ERA has dropped more than 7.25 runs in the eight games since that season-opening series at the Sun Devils.
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- The offense also found its stride Tuesday after back-to-back games with only three runs scored. The Broncos had two RBI extra-base hits and had runners on in five of their eight innings at the plate. Efrain Manzo got Santa Clara on the board early with a two-run single in the first inning. A bobble in the outfield allowed Michael O'Hara to score all the way from first on what was a single in the left-center field gap, and Coleman Brigman scored easily from second, making it 2-0.
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- Utah (9-3) got single runs in the fifth and seventh, both times to pull within one run. Bruer Webster's sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 2-1, and his running bunt single to second base with two outs in the seventh made it 3-2 Santa Clara. Webster accounted for all of the Utes' RBIs, and he was hitting in the ninth spot in the order.
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- Johnny Tarantino all but sealed it for Santa Clara in the bottom of the eighth. The sophomore utility man stepped up as a pinch-hitter with two outs and worked a 2-2 count before shooting a ball just inside the first base bag and all the way down into the right field corner. That would score Ben Steck and Efrain Manzo to give the Broncos a three-run cushion at 5-2.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- 2: Utah committed two errors Tuesday which led to three unearned runs. A bobble in center field in the first, and an errant throw in the eighth, allowed Santa Clara to score three extra runs – which was the margin of victory in the game.
- 13: JonJon Berring reached base twice with a double and a walk to extend his reached base safely streak to 13 games. It's a streak that dates to last season, when he reached base in each of the Broncos' last two games at the Fayetteville Regional. He's hit safely in nine of 11 games to start 2024 while also drawing 10 walks.
- 16: Malcolm Williams' single in the seventh inning extended his active hitting streak to 16 games, a streak that dates to last season. It started on the second day of the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas and was extended to six before the year ended at the Fayetteville Regional. He's hit safely in 10 games to start 2024.
NEXT UP
The Broncos' five-game homestand continues Friday when they open a three-game non-conference series versus UC Davis. The homestand concludes Tuesday with a midweek contest against Columbia. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
