SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Two pitches and One swing changed the entire game Friday.
 
Pacific's Drake Bicknell hit the first pitch he saw in the fourth inning over the left-center field wall for a three-run home run, giving the Tigers the cushion they'd need to hang on for a 5-4 West Coast Conference series-opening victory over the Santa Clara University baseball team at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bicknell's fourth-inning, decisive three-run bomb came on the second of two very influential pitches in the game. Santa Clara starter Max Bayles (2-5) had beaned top-of-the-order hitter Brian McClellin with the first pitch of his at-bat, putting two runners on base in a 2-2 game. Bayles was trying to get back into the strike zone against Bicknell, simply looking to get out of the inning with two outs already on the board. Instead, Bicknell jumped on the first pitch, sending it over the wall for a 5-2 Pacific lead at the time.
   
• Santa Clara (15-22, 4-9 WCC) also used the long ball to get back into the game. Freshman outfielder Andrew Rayment hit his second home run of the season, an opposite-field shot in the fifth. And Dylan Joyce hit his team-leading sixth long ball of the year in the eighth. The problem was that both of them were solo shots, and left the Broncos only one run short at 5-4 heading into the ninth.
   
• The Pacific (17-25, 5-8 WCC) bullpen held down Santa Clara after starter Regan Carter allowed two runs in three innings. Justin Iglesias (2-1), Jakob Guardado and Ethan Shaver combined to throw six relief innings, only allowing the two solo home runs and one other base hit, striking out five and not issuing any free base runners (no walks, no hit-by-pitches). Santa Clara went 1 for 8 (.125) Friday with runners in scoring position.
   
• Jace Gillmore put a stop to Pacific's momentum with a career outing. The sophomore righty struck out a career-high five in four shutout innings. It marked the longest shutout inning of his career, having previously thrown three shutout frames versus Columbia on March 12, 2024. RJ Meyn (1/3 of an inning) and Jack Lazark (2/3 of an inning) also had shutout appearances for the Broncos' bullpen.
   
• Santa Clara got six hits from six different players, while Pacific was led by multi-hit games from Bicknell (2 for 3) and Diego Davis (2 for 4). Shaver earned his third save of the season by throwing a perfect ninth inning with only eight pitches thrown.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 1: Friday marked the Broncos' fourth consecutive defeat by only one run. Santa Clara started the season 3-0 in one-run games. It has dropped six of its last seven games decided by one run.
• 5: Thomas Ferroggiaro singled and scored a run on Friday, extending his active hitting streak to five games.

COMING UP

• Game two of the series is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday. The series finale is scheduled for noon on Sunday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.