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SAN FRANCISCO — An infield single, an RBI sacrifice bunt, and a bases-loaded free pass was all the offense either team could muster Friday against strong pitching from both sides, as host San Francisco escaped with a 2-1 win in the West Coast Conference opener at Benedetti Diamond.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED


Santa Clara starter Max Bayles eclipsed the 200 career strikeouts mark Friday with eight Ks in 4 2/3 innings, but he also issued four walks, which inflated his pitch count on a hot day (first pitch temperature was 83 degrees Fahrenheit), leading to his removal in the fifth. Josh Johnson followed with a season-long 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief, striking out one. Trevor Banning induced an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, keeping the Broncos’ deficit at one run.

 
But San Francisco (10-10, 1-0 WCC) made those two runs hold up with efficient pitching of its own. Gabriel Barrett only allowed one run in six innings of work, walking none and striking out two. Hunter Holzemer (2-0) earned the victory with two shutout innings, including three strikeouts. Nick Bacura picked up his fifth save of the year with a scoreless ninth in which he faced the minimum.

 
The Broncos (9-11, 0-1 WCC) nearly tied the game in the top of the ninth on one swing. Pinch-hitter Tate Medicoff launched a ball to right-center field, but it hit below the Dons’ home run line that runs across the outfield netting, leaving him at first base with a loud single. Four pitches later, the Broncos’ pinch runner was caught leaning too far off first base on a ball in the dirt, and was picked off on a throw down from USF catcher Zack Ramppen.

 
USF got its first run of the game in the second inning after two leadoff walks and a sacrifice bunt that moved them into scoring position. Jayden Garrison nubbed a ball up the first base line and ran it out for an infield single, scoring Jackson Nystrom from third and making it 1-0. The game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth was also fueled by free passes. Vincent Braga enduced two ground balls, but they found holes in the infield for singles. He then hit two batters back-to-back, bringing in the go-ahead run and making it 2-1.

 
Ben Cleary returned to the Santa Clara starting lineup Friday and promptly reached base three times, going 2 for 3 and getting hit by a pitch. Six different Dons had one hit each as the Broncos outhit, USF, 7-6.

NOTABLE NUMBERS


2: Friday marked only the second loss this season for Santa Clara when outhitting its opponent. The Broncos are now 7-2 in those games.
37: Bayles’ 202 career strikeouts are only 37 away from tying for 10th on the Santa Clara career top-10 list. Joe Diefenderfer (2000-03) and Walt Kaczmarek (1971-74) are tied at the mark.

COMING UP


Game two of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.