April 18, 2014
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - University of San Diego junior right-hander Lucas Longpitched perhaps his best game as a Torero, recording a career-high nine strikeouts, however, five Torero errors led to a pair of unearned runs for Santa Clara University, allowing the Broncos to come away with a 2-1 win over USD Friday evening in a West Coast Conference game at Fowler Park.
With the loss, the Toreros fall to 25-13 overall and fall to 11-6 in the WCC. With the win, the Broncos improve to 16-22 overall, move to 7-7 in the WCC and have claimed their first series against the Toreros in five years.
With the Toreros trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, USD put on their rally caps and attempted a late comeback. Connor Joe got things started with a lead-off single, to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. Two batters later, Andrew Daniel singled through the right side to move Joe to second. After a wild pitch moved both Joe and Daniel up a base, Austin Bailey hit an RBI single to left field, which scored Joe and moved Daniel to third. Then with one out, and runners at the corners, Jesse Jennerhit a shallow pop fly behind second base, and the SCU centerfielder made the grab at his shoelaces, which prevented USD from scoring another run. USD could not push across another run in this inning, or in the ninth, to leave the game at its final of 2-1.
The Broncos were able to take advantage of a USD fielding error in the first inning to score their first run of the game. Greg Harisis led off with a single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jose Viczaino Jr. then reached on an error, which allowed Harsis to advance to third. Then with two outs, Casey Munoz hit an RBI single to score Harsis, giving SCU a 1-0 lead.
Long then went to work, and completely baffled the Santa Clara hitters over the next seven innings, scattering five more hits, while striking out nine total batters in a losing decision for the right-hander from Minneapolis, Minn. Long allowed two unearned runs on seven hits in 8.0 innings of work. His counterpart, Peter Hendron (4-3) picked up the win on the mound for the Broncos, as he allowed no runs on five hits in 7.0 innings of work. Reece Karalus was credited with a save, as he allowed no runs on no hits in 1.2 innings of work.
Santa Clara then took advantage of another USD fielding error to score an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning, to set up USD's late rally in the eighth inning.
Offensively for the Toreros, Daniel led the way, as he went 2-for-3, while Josh Goossen-Brown went 2-for-4 at the plate. Jesse Jennerkept his 12-game hitting streak alive with one hit, as did Bailey, who extended his hitting streak to 18 games.
USD and SCU will conclude this three-game series on Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Fowler Park.
