AUSTIN, Texas — A couple of falling fly balls in the outfield made the difference Friday in a game that featured strong pitching from both sides, as No. 12 Texas took advantage to earn a slim, 4-2, victory over the Santa Clara University baseball team in game one of the teams' non-conference series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The No. 12 Longhorns (11-1) entered Friday averaging 8.5 runs a game and slugging .573 as a team, but the Santa Clara pitching staff held them in check. Starter Brandon Gomez (1-2) shut down Texas and its powerful offense for four innings, stranding five runners and throwing up zeros through the first four frames. Texas finally broke through in the fifth, but even that took some luck. A misplayed ball in center field that glanced off an SCU defender's glove, a hit-by-pitch, and a sinking fly ball in left-center that turned into a two-run double by Jalin Flores gave the Longhorns a 2-0 lead.
   
• Gomez posted a gutsy Friday night performance in front of more than 7,000 hostile Longhorns fans. The senior lefty threw over 100 pitches (103) while working through traffic in all five of his innings. He stranded seven runners – five in scoring position – and struck out four. It was his second start in a row of going at least five and allowing three runs or fewer.
   
• Santa Clara kept battling all night long, answering right back to Texas' first runs with one in the top of the sixth, and even bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth. A leadoff single from Ben Cleary got the Broncos' rally started in the sixth. Four batters later, Tate Medicoff singled Cleary home with an RBI knock to short right field, cutting the Longhorns' lead in half at 2-1.
   
• The Broncos rallied for another run in the ninth, with pinch-hitter Conner Smith singling home pinch-runner Andrew Rayment to make it 4-2 and bring the tying run to the plate. Santa Clara hit Texas relief pitcher Max Grubbs with two earned runs Friday. Grubbs entered the game having not allowed a run all season in five previous appearances (11 innings pitched).
   
• The Texas offense that averaged nearly two home runs a game only got a lone solo shot in the sixth from Casey Borba in the bottom of the sixth to make it 3-1. The Longhorns' only other run came on a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but they'd leave the bases full and not score again.
   
• Both teams danced around each other for the first three innings. Texas had runners in scoring position in each of the first three frames, including runners on third in both the first and third innings. But Gomez got out of all those situations, stranding four runners – all in scoring position. Meanwhile, the Broncos also threatened multiple times early. Santa Clara had runners on the corners with one out in the first and also had a runner on with one out in the second, but stranded all of them.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 2: Friday's defeat was only the Broncos' second setback this season in games decided by two or fewer runs. They had been 3-1 in such games prior to Friday.
• 12: Santa Clara batters struck out 12 times Friday. It was the fourth time this season the lineup had at least 10 Ks. The team is now 2-2 in those games.

COMING UP

• Game two of the series is set for a 2 p.m. CST/noon PST first pitch. Santa Clara righty Victor Martinez (1-1) and Texas lefty Luke Harrison are Saturday's projected starting pitchers. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.