SANTA CLARA, Calif. — An eighth inning leadoff home run by center fielder Cole Gambill gave BYU a 5-4 victory over Santa Clara on Saturday and secured an important series win at Stephen Schott Stadium.
With the victory, BYU improves to 14-20 (7-8 WCC) on the year, while Santa Clara falls to 17-13 (7-8 WCC). The series win over the Broncos gives the Cougars back-to-back West Coast Conference series victories, having won the USF series the previous weekend, 2-1.
Game Summary
• BYU scored 5 runs on 10 hits, while SCU plated 4 runs on 5 hits
• Cougars were 3-11 (.273) with runners in scoring position
• BYU pitching held SCU hitless, 0-8, with runners in scoring position
BYU Highlights
• Ryan Deming: 3-4, 2 RBI, Run, HR, 2B
• Cole Gambill: 2-4, RBI, Run, HR
• Luke Anderson: 2-4, RBI, 2 Runs, HR, 2B
• Ryan Sepede: 2-4, Run
For the third time in the series BYU scored first. This time it was Ryan Sepede who singled to lead of the second inning, advanced to second on a Cooper Vest walk and moved to third on a Jacob Wilk single. The Cougar right fielder then scored on a Chad Call sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead.
The Cougar tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second inning on back-to-back home runs by Luke Anderson and Austin Deming.
Santa Clara manufactured a run in the top of the third on a hit by pitch, a stolen base, a fly out to right field and a ground ball RBI that cut the Cougar’s lead to 3-1. The Broncos scored again in the fourth without a hit, this time on a walk, a wild pitch and a BYU throwing error, bring the score to 3-2.
BYU responded with a run of its own in the top of the fifth to push the BYU advantage to 4-2. Third baseman Deming doubled down the left field line to score Anderson, who had led off the inning with a double of his own.
SCU tied the game, 4-4, in the sixth on a two-run home run by right fielder Michael O’Hara.
After a scoreless seventh inning, Gambill lead off the top of the eighth with a game winning blast to right field, for his eighth home run of the season.
Jake Porter (2-5) came on in relief for BYU and pitched two innings of hitless baseball for the win, while Boston Mabeus closed out the final 1 2/3 innings for his third save. The southpaw has surrendered just one earned run in his last nine appearances and is holding opposing hitters to just .205 at the plate on the year. Skylar Hales (3-3) took the loss in relief for the Broncos.
Cougars now return to Provo for a seven-game homestand at Miller Park. The stretch includes games with rival Utah (April 18), a three-game series with UNC Greensboro (April 20-22) and a WCC series with Portland (April 27-29).
The games will be broadcast live on the BYU Radio App and simulcast on 107.9 in the northern Utah market. The voice of the Cougars, Greg Wrubell, will have the call. The games will also be broadcast on the BYUtv App, with select games on BYUtv. Check the BYU baseball schedule for details.