STOCKTON, Calif. – A big seventh inning for the Broncos ultimately downed the Tigers, as Santa Clara took the 8-2 win to open the series. 

Telly Hill had the best game of his season, hitting his first career home run and collecting three total hits with two RBI. Hill had as many hits as the rest of the Tigers combined. James McClenaghan, Jeremy Lea and Thomas Gavello also had hits for the Tigers. 

Elijah Birdsong went five innings as the starter, striking out six and only walking one. Austin McKinney pitched one inning and struck out three. 

The Broncos struck first, scoring once in the first and twice in the second inning. The Hill home run came in the fifth inning and brought the Tigers within one run. The Tigers were swinging momentum in their favor, but a five-run inning from the Broncos in the seventh inning shut the door on the Tiger's comeback attempt. 

 The Tigers only left eight runners on base while the Broncos left 10. All four Tiger pitchers threw a 50% or better strike to ball ratio. 

The two teams will be back in action tomorrow evening, with the first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.