SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Junior right-hander Jace Gillmore threw his second-longest outing of the season Saturday and was one strikeout short of his career high, but the Santa Clara University baseball team's bullpen couldn't hold on to the lead Gillmore exited with in the sixth, as Saint Mary's scored seven runs over the final four innings, including five in the ninth, to clinch a West Coast Conference series victory with an 8-4 come-from-behind triumph at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gillmore threw a career-high 97 pitches against the Gaels (20-14, 7-4 WCC) in 5 2/3 innings of work – only one out shy of tying his career long outing – while striking out six, just one short of his career high. Gillmore was strong all afternoon, only allowing one earned run (two total) on three hits. He retired eight in a row to start the game, 10 of the first 12 he faced, and didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning.
   
• The Broncos (13-20, 3-8 WCC) built a 4-1 lead by the fifth inning on timely hitting. Luke Devine slapped a two-out RBI single to left for a 1-0 lead, Camden Sos hit a leadoff solo home run in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie, and Luke Devine and Max Ross hit back-to-back two-out doubles in the fifth to bring in two runs and give Santa Clara a 4-1 advantage.
   
• SMC's Sam Kretsch (3-1) came in and shut down the Broncos' momentum. He struck out Sos to end the fifth and strand Ross in scoring position, then went on to record seven more strikeouts, giving him a career-high eight in 3 1/3 inning while earning the win. Santa Clara got its first two batters of the seventh on base and would load the bases, but left them stranded when Sos lined out to a diving Cody Kashimoto at second base. Kretsch struck out the side in both the sixth and eighth to silence Santa Clara's bats.
   
• The Gaels put together a game-winning five-run rally in the top of the eighth. Their first six batters of the inning went 5 for 5, including a sacrifice bunt. Nick Allred's RBI double tied the game at 4-4, Diego Castellanos' RBI single scored Allred and gave Saint Mary's a 5-4 lead, and Makoa Sniffen brought home Castellanos to make it 6-4. The dagger came with two outs when Brady Petit tallied two RBIs with an opposite-field two-run single, making it 8-4.
   
• Hunter Hargett (0-2) was charged with all five of those runs on six hits and a walk. Hargett entered the game with a 1.93 ERA and looking for a five-out save, but Saint Mary's tagged him with the defeat and a 4.80 ERA. Josh Johnson struck out two to lower his season ERA to 0.55. Johnny Luetzow went 3 for 3 with a double and reached base five times with two hit-by-pitches. Devine went 2 for 5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
   
• Saint Mary's totaled 13 hits a day after collecting 10 in the series opener. Five multi-hit performances were led by Sniffen's 3-for-5 performance with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 12: Luetzow's reached base streak is now at 12 games. He is also on a six-game hitting streak and has had extra-base hits in five of his last six games.
• 14: Santa Clara pitchers totaled 10 strikeouts Saturday. It was the 14th time this season the staff has had 10 or more Ks in a game. The team is 6-8 in those games.

COMING UP

• Sunday's series finale, originally scheduled for noon, is now slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch. Stay tuned to the Broncos' social media channels and SantaClaraBroncos.com for schedule updates due to weather. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links for Sunday on SantaClaraBroncos.com.