Baseball continues to trade wins outside of conference play

By Tom Schreier

Spring break was a relative term for the Santa Clara baseball team. With back-and-forth games lining the Broncos' schedule, Santa Clara is fighting to add wins to their 12-11 record.

The Broncos played four games in the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament before finals and then traveled south for a four game series against San Diego State. They finished the week with a series win over Princeton at Stephen Schott Stadium and will begin conference play tonight.

The four day tournament, which began on March 11, was co-hosted by Santa Clara and San Jose State in honor of Gifford, a longtime college baseball supporter who died Jan. 11, 2009 at age 68.

Santa Clara went 2-2 in the tournament, placing themselves behind winner San Jose State (3-1), who the Broncos had swept earlier in the season, and University of California-Davis (3-1).

In Santa Clara's first game of the tournament, Southern Illinois sophomore Chris Serritella hit a three-run home run off of Nate Garcia in the eighth inning, providing the Salukis with their only win of the tournament. Pat Stover locked on to a sixth inning pitch, driving it past the 402 marker in centerfield, finishing the night 4-for-5 with two RBI. Lucas Herbst went 3-for-5.

"Playing eight games in ten days is a grind," said O'Brien after the loss. "We need to focus on the first game (Saturday). When that is done we will focus on the second one."

After a day off, Santa Clara was set to avenge their loss to Southern Illinois in their doubleheader with Air Force and UC Davis.

The day began with an 8-7 win over the service academy. During the game, Santa Clara saw their early five-run lead unravel. However, senior Geoff Klein hit a double in the ninth to tie the game at 7-7, allowing Stover to RBI on a fielder's choice in the top of the tenth.

In the second game of the doubleheader Klein hit his first home run of the season. However, the Broncos could not eclipse a six-run deficit and lost 8-7.

Santa Clara appeared unable to avoid dramatic finishes throughout the tournament. With a 6-2 lead going into the eighth inning against Southern Illinois, Chris Mendoza watched the possibility of a win in his freshman debut dissipate with each consecutive pitch as three different relievers relinquished six runs in the bottom frame. Fortunately, Santa Clara would recover late in the game, winning 12-11.

"It was a little disappointing just because it was (my) first college start," said Mendoza in reflection of his performance. "You want to get that win, but in the end the team got the 'W' and that's what was most important."

On March 20, Santa Clara ventured to San Diego State's Tony Gwynn Stadium for four games against the Aztecs. Gwynn, currently in his eight year as the head coach at SDSU, played 20 years of Major League Baseball with the local Padres before retiring in 2001. Last year he served as a mentor to Stephen Strasburg, the first overall pick in the 2009 MLB Entry Draft.

Named WCC 'Player of the Week' and placed on the Johnny Bench Award 'Watch List' following his performance in the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament, Klein placed a two-run homer over the centerfield fence to begin the game, marking his third-straight game with a home run. However, All-American starter Addison Reed overcame the early deficit and San Diego State would go on to win 7-5.

The Aztecs would end up winning three straight before Mendoza threw a complete game. The freshman only gave up one run in his first collegiate win.

"It was definitely a battle. They had plenty of chances to go ahead and really break the thing open," Mendoza said of his outing. "Keeping my composure is what really saved me and it was really exciting once I got that (complete game)."

On March 26, the team returned to Stephen Schott Stadium for a series against Princeton. Santa Clara had no trouble finding offense against the Tigers, who surrendered 53 runs over the span of four games.

Garcia complimented Santa Clara's 19-run outing by masterfully striking out 13 of 25 batters in the first game, earning his second win of the season. Stover went 3-for-4 and scored three times.

Fellow senior Alex Rivers pitched his way out of a jam in the sixth inning and eventually left in the eighth inning allowing just one hit. Six different Broncos doubled as Santa Clara won the first game of a doubleheader 12-3.

After dropping the third game 16-8, the Broncos would ride Tommy Medica's two home runs to win the final game of the series 14-5. Medica extended his hitting streak to 15 games, the best in the WCC this season.

The Broncos enter conference play knowing they are able to produce runs. Their concern is pitching, especially out of the bullpen. Freshmen Brock Simon and Rhett Nelson were in command in Tuesday night's 11-10 victory against Albany and should expect to have their name called in future relief of starters Garcia, Rivers and Mendoza. J.R. Graham was composed under duress late in the Albany game and is the projected closer.

Santa Clara begins conference play on Thursday against Portland who currently sits atop the WCC at 15-6, followed by San Diego (14-12). USD was one of two WCC teams ranked in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I preseason poll, Pepperdine was the other.

Portland has been carried by dominant pitching; something the Broncos struggled to accomplish against San Diego State. Last Friday Zach Varce, who is projected to pitch on Thursday, led the Pilots to a 10-0 victory. Kyle Kraus, who is scheduled pitch to against Rivers on Friday, complimented his teammate's effort by fanning 14 batters in the second game of a doubleheader.

"We need to go out there with a little attitude and trust our ability a little bit more," O'Brien said of his pitching staff after Tuesday night's victory. "Once we have confidence in ourselves and once we trust our ability, we'll do a better job."

The Broncos will battle Portland tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Contact Tom Schreier at tschreier@scu.edu or (408) 551-1918.