SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Senior left-hander Brandon Gomez turned in a quality start Friday in his continued rise over recent weeks and the Santa Clara University baseball team took an early lead, but visiting San Francisco came back and fought off a late rally attempt by the Broncos to win both teams' West Coast Conference opener, 8-4, at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gomez (2-3) pitched a season-long six innings Friday for the Broncos (8-10, 0-1 WCC) and only allowed three runs in his first quality start of the season. He struck out six, just one short of his season high. The lefty was locked in a pitchers' duel with fellow lefty Lance Santerre (1-2) through the first 4 1/3 innings. The starters were locked in a 1-1 tie in which they both labored through high-volume innings but avoided any major damage.
   
• That was until the top of the fifth when Gomez gave up a one-out, two-run home run to Kenny DeCelle that barely cleared the wall just left of dead center field. The long ball made it 3-1 at the time and put the Dons (11-11, 1-0 WCC) ahead for good.
   
• San Francisco added three more in the seventh and two more in the ninth to go up, 8-1 – insurance it'd need to hold off the Broncos' late comeback push. Santa Clara loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth and got a one-out, two-run single from Malcolm Williams to make it 8-3. Thomas Ferroggiaro brought home Williams on an RBI groundout to make it 8-4, but that's where the rally ended for SCU with a check-swing strikeout ending the game.
   
• San Francisco scored half of its runs with two outs, and half of its runs were scored by base runners who reached for free (via walk or hit-by-pitch). Santa Clara pitchers issued eight free passes Friday (six walks, two hit-by-pitches). It was the Broncos' seventh game in their last nine allowing at least six free base runners, and they're 0-7 in those games (since March 2).
   
• Dylan Joyce went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead Santa Clara's offense. USF outhit Santa Clara, 8-5. Decelle led the way for the Dons with a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Patrick Keighran (2 for 4) and former Bronco Jordan Lewis (2 for 4) also had multi-hit days for USF.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 2: The Broncos stole two bases Friday. It was its sixth multi-stolen base game of the year.
• 5: Santa Clara had five hits against USF. It was its sixth time in the last nine games getting five or less hits. It's 0-6 in those contests (since March 2).
• 6: USF's win Friday snapped what had been a six-game winning streak in the series for Santa Clara dating to 2023. It was tied for the longest streak by either team since San Francisco won 10 consecutive from 2011-14.

COMING UP
Game two of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, with the finale slated for noon on Sunday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.