MORAGA, Calif. — Sunday's series finale against Santa Clara was a very simple game plan for Saint Mary's Baseball: hit big home runs, and let Ky Bush do the rest. Using a big crooked number in the third inning, and a masterful performance on the mound from their Sunday starter, Saint Mary's swept the Santa Clara Broncos behind an 8-2 final, scoring their first series sweep of the season. Saint Mary's is back over .500 with a record of 17-17 (7-8) while Santa Clara stands at 12-20 (5-10).
 
KKKKKKKKKKKKy Bush
No Saint Mary's starter has struck out more hitters in a game this season than Ky Bush. The left-hander was simply dominant against the Broncos on Sunday afternoon, setting a career-best with 13 strikeouts. Heading into Sunday's game, Bush needed 14 strikeouts to become the WCC leader, and he nearly got that mark all in one start. He struck out the side in the second inning, and cruised through a majority of the ballgame. The Broncos did not record a hit against Bush until the sixth inning, when Jason Dicochea doubled to right center. Bush also recorded his longest outing of the season, going seven complete innings, allowing just two hits, two runs (one earned), and 13 strikeouts without allowing any walks.
 
BIG BASHERS
Bush was the headliner on Sunday, and understandably so, but the Gaels offense did some big things in the third inning. Saint Mary's scored seven times to stake Bush to the lead he never surrendered, and they all came on two big swings of the bat. After a single and a fielder's choice put two runners on with one out, Justin Banks continued to do what he does best, and that's hit home runs. He sent a ball to right field that cleared the fence for his second home run of the series, and eighth on the season, to give the Gaels a 3-0 lead. The inning continued with a walk, and a pair of singles, before Blake Mann came up. In the middle of the at bat, with the count 2-1, the Broncos made a pitching change and brought in Brandon Buckley. Mann hit the first pitch he saw over the netting in left field for the Gaels first grand slam of the season, suddenly making it 7-0.
 
SUNDAY NOTES
Saint Mary's added one more run in the fourth inning, when Nick Mistone led off the inning with a double, and came around to score on a Chris Santiago RBI single up the middle…this marks the first series sweep for Saint Mary's in WCC play since the Gaels swept Santa Clara on May 10-12, 2019…between Bush and Ryan Sanders, the Gaels struck out 16 Broncos, tying their season-best from February 26 against California Baptist, a game that featured 11 strikeouts from Carlos Lomeli, which was the most from any one Gael.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will play their last game of the season against Cal on Wednesday night, with a 6:05 start time at Evans Diamond. The Gaels will then return to WCC play at home next weekend when they welcome in Pacific on April 23-25. Saint Mary's took three out of four from Pacific in non-conference play in mid-March.