Box Score Stockton, Calif. – Returning to conference play for the first time in over a week, the Pacific Tigers offense hit on all cylinders in their 12-6 defeat of the Santa Clara Broncos at Klein Family Field. Pacific had 16 hits in the game as they scored their most runs since putting up 15 on Fresno State on April 5. Every Pacific starter had a hit as well as at least one run or RBI. The Tigers move to 9-10 in the WCC, just a fraction behind San Diego in the standings.
Will Lydon looked to continue his dominance in conference in his 12th start, where he has pitched to a 3.66 ERA in six starts, three of which he completed. Lydon controlled Santa Clara for much of the game before tiring late, leaving after 7.2 innings as the Broncos scored four of the six runs allowed by Lydon in the eighth. Only four of Lydon's runs were earned. Fineas Del Bonta-Smith relieved Lydon, who earned his third win with his yeoman's work in the Tigers offensive explosion.
For the Broncos, it was Steven Wilson starting after going seven innings and striking out eight in his last start, all while allowing no runs and just three hits. This start was much worse for Wilson as the Tigers hit him for 12 runs, eight earned, in his 4.2 innings of work. Pacific managed 13 hits and three walks against Wilson, who is now 4-4 on the season. Wilson had Santa Clara's third-best ERA at 2.74 before the Tigers unloaded on him.
Santa Clara started the game with Stockton-native Kyle Cortopassi homering on the third pitch from Lydon. The junior righthander struck out the next man he faced on three pitches as he shook off the homer with ease.
It was J.J. Wagner's defense that shined for the Tigers after that, as two straight men hit searing line drives at the third baseman that were caught. Wagner grabbed a high liner first, just barely managing to keep it from squirting out of the top of the webbing as he came down from his jump. After that, Wagner dove to his right on a quick reaction to grab a low liner that came inches away from what may have been a double.
Kevin Sandri kept up his strong season as a leadoff hitter with a full-count single to center to start the bottom of the first. Sandri, who entered the game reaching base 47.6% of the time when leading off innings, roped a ball over the shortstop's head that curved in front of the centerfielder for an easy single. Pacific couldn't do anything else in the first, however.
The Tigers put their second leadoff man on in a row thanks to Nate Verlin, who singled through the hole on the right side. Verlin, who is hitting .327 with 15 runs in the last 25 games, advanced on a Lucas Halstead double to the rightfield wall. Verlin had a chance to score on Halstead's sixth extra-base hit in his last five games but stumbled rounding third and was forced to retreat.
Verlin's fall made no difference thanks to Louis Mejia's RBI single. Mejia hit the ball under the glove of the third baseman, who was playing in and had to reach across his body to try and trap the ball.
Halstead would score on the next play, a grounder toward the first baseman by McKay Koissian. The Broncos went home to try and get Halstead but the throw was high and allowed Halstead to slide in and give Pacific the lead. The run gave Halstead four in the last five games, a stretch that has seen the sophomore hit .300 with four doubles, two homers, and four RBI.
For the 27th game in a row Danny Mayer reached base, this time drawing a full-count walk in the third inning on a checked swing. Gio Brusa drove Mayer home with an absolutely bomb to rightfield that bounced off the middle of the scoreboard. The homer was Brusa's 11th this year, a mark that only nine other Tigers have ever reached. Brusa's 22 career homeruns are one away from tying Mike Walker for fourth all-time in Pacific history, while his 114 RBI are one away from seventh all-time. Pacific has hit 35 homers this year, the most since 2009, when they hit 38.
The Tigers threatened again in the fourth, beginning with McKay Koissian's single into left, his third start in a row with a hit. J.P. Yakel poked a ball down the line near first away from the first baseman as the ball bounced over the first base bag and stayed fair by the thinnest of margins for a double. It was Yakel's fifth double in WCC play, where he is hitting .313.
Sandri's second hit of the day scored Koissian to make it 5-1 with runners on the corners and one out. The freshman was facing an infield shifted in to try and save a run and pushed the ball through the hole between third and the shortstop for a soft single to left. It was Sandri's 27th hit at home this year, where he has hit .329 with 17 runs, six doubles, and ten RBI.
It was Wagner's turn to pick up an RBI after that. The senior had bad luck in his first two at-bats but went opposite field for a double that extended his hitting streak to five games. He has scored six runs and hit three doubles during his streak.
Mayer added two RBI to his season total with a double to clear the bases and keep Pacific's big inning going. Mayer, who is now hitting .351 with 15 runs, seven doubles, five homers, and 12 RBI during his 13-game hitting streak, knocked the ball straight down the third-base line and low for a double into the corner. A Brusa walk followed, his 18th in WCC play, the most in the conference. Verlin added a walk as well to load the bases with still just one out.
Halstead's flyout to dead center scored Pacific's ninth run and brought Mejia to the plate for the second time in the inning as the Tigers batted around. While Mejia was retired, the five-run inning gave Pacific their most runs in the last 11 games by the end of the fourth inning.
Now with a big lead, Lydon continued his strong start after the leadoff homer with a perfect fifth to make it ten in a row retired. Only one of the next 17 men Lydon faced after the homerun reached base. The junior would retire 11 straight before Santa Clara recorded another baserunner with an infield single in the sixth.
While the Broncos couldn't manage any offense, Pacific's bats kept rolling. Koissian had his second single of the game with a knock to center. Yakel also singled after that to give him two hits in the last two innings, singling through the ample hole on the right side caused by the first baseman holding Koissian on.
With two outs, Mayer hit a high flyball into deep right that looked like a routine flyout. Luck stayed with the Tigers though and the ball bounced out of the fielder's glove putting Mayer on second and scoring two more runs.
Brusa took advantage of the extra at-bat given to him by the error and singled over the shortstop's head on a 3-1 pitch, scoring Mayer and chasing Wilson from the game. The RBI was Brusa's third of the day and gave him his fourth game of at least three RBI in 19 conference games. It was also Brusa's tenth multi-RBI game of the season.
The Broncos managed to eek out two hits against Lydon in the sixth with one out. Santa Clara beat out an infield single, then curved a liner away from Mejia for another single. The next batter hit the ball right at Lydon but the pitcher's throw to second to start a double play pulled Mejia off the bag and let every batter reach safely.
Wagner made yet another fine reflex play, grabbing a grounder that was hurrying to the outfield. The senior got the man at second but the throw was too late, allowing an unearned run to score. Wagner grabbed the next grounder easily and ended the inning with the score 12-2.
Koissian put together his first-ever three-hit game with a single to left in the bottom of the sixth. Koissian is now hitting .400 as a starter this year. The junior was erased on a double play that ended the inning scoreless, however.
After an error put Santa Clara's first batter on in the seventh, they singled to move the man up. Wagner made another good dive on a hot grounder but this one made it into left for the single. The senior's incredible defensive day continue on the next play, where he jumped to snag a liner and doubled off the runner at second. Wagner made yet another putout after that on a much easier grounder to end the inning and help Lydon get through seven for the fifth time this year.
With Lydon still out for the eighth, the Broncos singled twice to start the inning. Sandri made a valiant effort to get a throw off from practically leftfield on the first but it was far too late. The next single dropped in front of Koissian, who did well to cut it off in the gap and prevent a double.
A strange play scored Santa Clara's first run of the inning. The ball was chopped down the first base line very slowly. Lydon slipped trying to field it and slid to the ball, which fell out of his glove. The pitcher flipped the ball toward Verlin while on his belly but the runner beat out the dribbling ball for an unfortunate error. A double scored two more.
Koissian ran down a flyball in center for the first out and unleashed a cannon throw that held the runner in place on second. After an infield single scored another run, Del Bonta-Smith came on to relieve Lydon and struck out the first man he faced to end the eighth with the score 12-6.
The Tigers made it a baserunner in every single inning thanks to Mejia, who single on a soft line drive in the eighth with two outs for his second hit of the ballgame.
Two more men reached for Santa Clara in the ninth, as a Tiger error put the leadoff man on and a walk followed that. A run scored thanks in part to a wild pitch, as the 6-3 groundout for the first out allowed the man who was now on third to come across and make it 12-7.
Another walk put men on the corners. Pacific traded an out for a run on a flyball to center, making it 12-8. Santa Clara managed another single, this one past Sandri's glove on the dive, but that was it for the Broncos as Pacific locked it up for the victory.
Pacific's next game against Santa Clara is schedule for tomorrow. That game will be at 6:00 pm and will be a fireworks night. The series will end Sunday at 1:00 pm. Tickets for all home games are available online.
Make sure to follow Pacific baseball on Twitter with the username @PacificBaseball and on Instagram at pacificbaseball.
