March 23, 2018 Final Stats
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The Saint Mary's baseball team led host Santa Clara for seven innings Friday, but a three-run rally by the Broncos in the seventh proved to be the difference, as they edged SMC, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game West Coast Conference series at Stephen Schott Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Gaels' (10-8, 1-3 WCC) starter Nick Frank (1-4) went back out to work in the seventh inning after only giving up two runs through the first six, but the Broncos (14-5, 3-1 WCC) jumped all over him. Joe Becht tripled to right field on the first pitch of the inning, and Andre Nnebe brought him home on the very next pitch with an infield single to make it 4-3. After back-to-back walks to load the bases, Santa Clara would surge ahead with runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
- Saint Mary's struck first in the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead with three straight one-out singles from Joe Vranesh, Austin Chauvin and Brett Rasso. Rasso's single up the middle scored Vranesh from second for his third RBI of the season. But two strikeouts to follow would end the Gaels' threat.
- SMC boosted its advantage in the top of the fourth inning as Austin Chauvin launched a towering 2-run homer over the left center field wall to take a 3-0 lead over Santa Clara. It was his first home run of the season along with his 10th and 11th RBIs.
- Santa Clara made it interesting in the bottom of the fourth with back to back two-out RBI singles, making it 3-2. But Vranesh pushed the Gaels' lead back to two runs after he drove a double to left-center field that brought home Kevin Milam for a 4-2 advantage in the top of the fifth.
NOTABLE NUMBERS - 4: Saint Mary's scored four runs Friday, marking the fifth time in the last six games it has scored less than five runs. SMC has scored five or more runs in just seven of its 18 games this season.
- 5-6-7: The Gaels' 5-6-7 hitters went a combined 6 for 11 with four RBIs and three runs scored. The trio of Vranesh, Chauvin and Rasso were responsible for scoring or driving in all four of SMC's runs.
- 10: Frank set a new season high with 10 strikeouts. He had strikeouts in five of the seven innings he appeared in, with multiple Ks in four of those.
COMING UP - Game two of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday. Saint Mary's righty Kevin Milam (3-0, 2.22 ERA) is scheduled to face Santa Clara's right-hander Alex Waldsmith. Fans can find all live coverage links on SMCGaels.com.
