SAN DIEGO — Host San Diego got several loud hits at the plate and rode a three-armed attack on the mound Thursday to take game one of a three-game West Coast Conference series against the Santa Clara University baseball team, 5-1, at Fowler Park.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Diego (10-17, 3-4 WCC) hit three home runs Thursday, the first a two-run shot in the third inning off the bat of CJ Moran to break a scoreless tie and make it 2-0. Those were the only runs the Toreros would score off Broncos starter Cooper Lanz (1-4), who otherwise cruised through the first three innings and only allowed one runner past second base before Moran's homer. Moran's go-ahead bomb carried in the overcast San Diego skies and hit off the top of the center field wall, narrowly escaping being a long fly out.
   
• Diego Gonzalez and Andrew Gauna both hit solo homers in the eighth inning to pad USD's lead at 5-1. Meanwhile, the combination of Nate DeSchryver (3-2), Porter Rovin and Hayden Cody effectively shut down the Santa Clara offense. The Broncos were held to three hits and had only seven base runners all night. They stranded five runners, four in scoring position. Johnny Luetzow's sacrifice fly in the seventh to bring home Max Ross – who led off the frame with a double – accounted for all the Broncos' (13-15, 3-4 WCC) scoring.
   
• Moran finished a double shy of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Gonzalez went 2 for 2 in the nine-hole for San Diego with a home run, RBI and two runs scored. Luetzow, Ross and Andrew Rayment had Santa Clara's three hits.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 9: Santa Clara has lost nine consecutive road games since Feb. 14. It matches the nine-game road losing streak it endured from April 5 to May 5, 2024.
• 26: After going going 0 for 4 with no walks or hit-by-pitches Thursday, Ben Cleary's 26-game reached base safely streak came to an end. The streak included all 25 games he played in so far in 2026 and the last game of 2025.

COMING UP

• Game two of the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.