Feb. 12, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara sent 10 men to the plate in the first inning, scoring six times then held on for a 10-6 win over San Diego State at Stephen Schott Stadium Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Broncos claimed the rubber game of the three-game series and improved to 3-4 on the season. The Aztecs, meanwhile, fell to 2-5.
SDSU senior starting pitcher Adam Simon (0-1) did not get out of the first inning as he gave up all six Santa Clara runs on three singles, a double, triple and a pair of walks.
On the other side, Bronco starter Matthew Wickswat (2-0) dominated early as SDSU did not hit a ball out of the infield over the first three innings.
After falling behind 7-0, SDSU put a single run on the board in the fourth on consecutive two-out singles by Curt Mendoza, Jordan Swaydan and Brock Ungricht.
Mendoza ended his day with a pair of hits and an RBI as he extended his hitting streak to seven games to begin the season. Ungricht also recorded two hits and an RBI as did teammate Paul Smyth.
Things unraveled for Wickswat and the Broncos in the sixth as the Aztecs sent 10 men to the plate, scoring five times to close within a run at 7-6. In the inning, SDSU got RBI from Paul Smyth (triple), Curt Mendoza (double), Nick Romero (single) and Quintin Berry (single).
However, San Diego State's momentum was negated in the bottom of the inning as Charles Nolte, making his first career appearance, walked the first two Bronco batters he faced, and both ended up scoring later in the inning on an RBI single and a safety squeeze to extend the home side's lead to 9-6.
Santa Clara added another run in the seventh on a double by Dustin Realini, a ground out that advanced him to third, and another safety squeeze, this one by DH Donald Ecker.
Bronco reliever Chris Stansbury, who had come on to get the final out in the sixth, held the Aztecs scoreless over the next two innings and closer Mark Willinsky retired the side in the ninth allowing just a single to close out the game.
San Diego State now returns home where it will host a three-game series with 25th-ranked Cal Poly beginning Friday, Feb. 17, at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Santa Clara 10, San Diego State 6SDS 000 105 000 - 6 10 0SCU 601 002 10x - 10 12 0Simon, Miller (1), Matthews (4), Nolte (6), Suwyn (6), Lynch (8) and SwaydanWickswat, DeMarco (6), Stansbury (6), Willinsky and WattsW - Wickswat (2-0)L - Simon (0-1)Sv - NoneHR - NoneAtt. - 496Time - 3:18