Feb. 14, 2004
Santa Clara, Calif. - San Diego State wasted a fine starting pitching performance by senior Daryl Harang as it let a four-run lead slip away over the final four innings in a 7-5 loss to Santa Clara at Buck Shaw Stadium Saturday afternoon. The loss was the third straight for the Aztecs, who fell to 5-8 and have lost six of their last eight contests. The Broncos, meanwhile, saw their record improve to 4-2 on the year.
Harang went five innings, leaving the game after surrendering a leadoff base on balls in the bottom of the sixth. Up to that point, he had given up just one unearned run while striking out four, and although the runner he allowed in the sixth was charged to him, he was not involved in the game's final decision.
Both teams threatened to score early, with each having a runner thrown out at the plate over the first two frames. The Aztec finally broke through in the third when David Hall's bases-loaded double to center gave the visitors a 3-0 lead.
They upped that lead to 4-0 in the next inning when Jordan Swaydan's single drove in Brock Ungricht, who had doubled. With that double, Ungricht extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
After the Broncos scored an unearned run in their half of the fourth, SDSU made it a 5-1 game in the top of the sixth. Shortstop James Guerrero led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by teammate Landon Burt. After a wild pitch, Lance Zawadzki lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score the run.
In the bottom of that same inning, Santa Clara struck back with three runs, as the SDSU bullpen was unable to hold the Bronco offense in check. The home team looked poised to take the lead in the seventh after loading the bases with one out, but Aztec releiver Dan Bruckart induced center fielder Robert Perry to hit into a double play to end the threat and preserve SDSU's 5-4 advantage.
However, Santa Clara was not done. With SDSU closer Ryan Schroyer on to start the bottom of the eighth, the Broncos strung together four singles around a walk to score three times and take a 7-5 lead.
Santa Clara's John Redmond was the beneficiary of his team's late rally, picking up the win to improve to 1-0 on the year, Kellan McConnell pitched the ninth inning to record his third save of the year and second in two days against the Aztecs. Schroyer was saddled with the loss to fall to 1-1.
Jordan Swaydan finished the game with two hits, a run scored, an RBI and two walks while fellow Aztec Lance Zawadzki, making his first collegiate start, had a pair of hits, run scored and RBI.
San Diego State and Santa Clara conclude their three-game series on Sunday (Feb. 15) at 1:00 p.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Santa Clara 7, San Diego State 5SDS 003 101 000 0 5 10 0SCU 000 103 03x - 7 18 0Harang, Teasley (6), Coon (6), Zink (7), Bruckart (7), Schroyer (8) and SwaydanSlorp, Lonergan (4), Van Buskirk (7), Redmond (8), McConnell (9) and Mandley, McColgan (9)W - Redmond (1-0)L - Schroyer (1-1)Sv - McConnell (3)HR - NoneAtt. - 446Time - 3:46