MORAGA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University baseball team kept its offense rolling Thursday, launching four home runs and tallying nine runs on 11 hits in its West Coast Conference series opener at Saint Mary's. But the host Gaels rallied from behind and held off a late push to take game one, 11-9, at Louis Guisto Field at Brother Ronald Gallagher Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Santa Clara's offense has been red-hot for the past five weeks. Saturday's four-homer performance at Saint Mary's (29-23, 13-9 WCC) marked the sixth straight game with at least one home run and the seventh multi-homer game in its last 12. It also marked the third consecutive game—and fourth in the last five—in which the Broncos (20-28, 7-15 WCC) scored at least nine runs. The team also recorded double-digit hits for the third game in a row and the 10th time in the past 13.
   
• Dylan Joyce's two-run homer in the third gave Santa Clara a 3-2 lead, erasing an early 2-0 deficit created by Ryan Pierce's two-run shot in the first. It was the 27th time this season the Broncos have come from behind to take the lead. Luke Devine added another two-run blast—his seventh homer of the year—in the fourth to extend the advantage to 5-2.
   
• But Saint Mary's answered with five unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings, including back-to-back home runs in the fifth from Aide Taurek and Bria Duroff, to take a 7-5 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Still, Santa Clara continued to battle. Thomas Ferroggiaro doubled home Devine in the sixth to trim the deficit to 7-6, then launched a two-run homer in the eighth to bring the Broncos within three at 11-8.
   
• Tate Medicoff led off the ninth with a solo shot to cut the lead to 11-9 and give the Broncos a glimmer of hope. But the rally ended quickly—just six pitches later—with a three-pitch strikeout followed by two flyouts. Daniel Gueva closed it out for the Gaels, earning his first save of the season. The Broncos tagged six different SMC pitchers, scoring against five of them and recording hits off each one.
   
• Brandon Gomez (3-8) struck out eight and walked only two over six innings for Santa Clara. Ferroggiaro finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, falling a triple shy of the cycle. Devine went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Medicoff (2-for-4) and Joyce (2-for-5) also posted multi-hit games with home runs.
   
• Thursday's loss officially eliminated Santa Clara from postseason contention. The Broncos needed a series sweep to keep their WCC Tournament hopes alive. It marks the program's first postseason absence in three years (since 2022).

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 6: Joyce's go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning was his sixth go-ahead homer of the year. It was his fifth multi-run go-ahead shot.
• 11: Santa Clara has scored nine or more runs in 11 games this season. It is 6-5 in those games, though it has lost four of its last six such offensive outbursts.

COMING UP

• The series continues Friday with game two scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch. The series finale is set for a 1 p.m. start on Saturday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.