Story Links

SAN FRANCISCO — More strong pitching was the highlight Saturday, and like Friday’s opener, host San Francisco was able to stave off a late rally by the Santa Clara University baseball team to hold on for a slim, 2-1 win in game two of the teams’ West Coast Conference series at Benedetti Diamond.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED


Santa Clara starter Jace Gillmore (1-3) handled the San Francisco lineup for 5 1/3 innings Saturday, but his only problem batter was the one who provided all the Dons’ offense. TJ Rogers hit two solo homers for USF – one in the second and another in the fourth – to account for all his team’s runs. Gillmore would strike out four and only allow two other base hits while pitching into the sixth inning for the second consecutive start.

 
Broncos reliever Cooper Lanz continued his recent climb, throwing a season-long 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. Lanz struck out three and only allowed one hit. It was his second consecutive outing without allowing a run and not issuing a walk.

 
Santa Clara (9-12, 0-2 WCC) looked like it was going to tie the game in the ninth after Waylon Walsh drew a seven-pitch leadoff walk and Luke Devine tripled him home to make it 2-1. Devine stood on third base as the tying run with no outs, but a flyout to shallow left field – not deep enough to bring Devine home, a strikeout and an infield popup stranded Devine and ended the game.

 
San Francisco’s pitching was also on point Saturday. Starter Gauge Lockhart (3-1) threw five shutout innings with three strikeouts to earn the win. Kai Yovanovich threw a scoreless sixth, and Quentin Pohorski earned his third save of the year with three innings of relief, only surrendering two hits and that ninth-inning run to Santa Clara.

NOTABLE NUMBERS


10: San Francisco and Santa Clara combined to go 0 for 10 Saturday with runners in scoring position. The teams also combined for a total of 10 hits – five each.
20: Ben Cleary went 1 for 4 with a single in the first inning. That extended his active reached base streak to 20 games – 19 in 2026 and the last game of 2025.

COMING UP


The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.