May 11, 2002
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - In a game of spurts, Santa Clara had the last two as the Broncos (24-28, 14-12 WCC) rallied for a 12-10 win over Gonzaga (24-26, 12-14 WCC) in West Coast Conference baseball action on Saturday afternoon. The two teams will conclude the game with a 1 p.m. contest on Sunday at August/A.R.T. Stadium.
Both teams accounted for single runs in the first inning as A.J. LaBarbera connected for a solo home run in the top of the first. Gonzaga countered by loading the bases in the bottom of the inning, Eric Rodland scoring on an infield error to knot the game at 1-1. SCU would add a second run in the second inning as Jack Headley opened with a double and scored on an infield out by Shawn Epidendio.
The Broncos added three more runs in the third as Joey Gomes and Pat Peavey had RBI singles. Santa Clara's additional run in the inning scored on a throwing error. Gonzaga responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs, all on walks by Santa Clara starting pitcher Joe Diefenderfer. GU's first run would score on an infield error, while John Gebbers continued his hot hitting on the weekend with a two-run single to left.
Gonzaga would take its only lead of the contest in the fifth inning as they exploded for five runs. Gebbers again delivered a big hit with a two-run double to left center. Kevin Cave, Rodland and Grant Zurmely would all add RBI hits as GU jumped on top 9-5.
Santa Clara chipped away at the lead to start the sixth inning as Jim Wallace homered to left field. Mark Folgner added an RBI double to close the lead to 9-7 with runners on second and third. Ryan Chiarelli and LaBarbera would add RBI hits as Santa Clara reclaimed the lead with five runs in the inning. SCU would put two insurance runs on the board in the seventh as Folgner hit a solo home run and Gomes hit his 30th double of the season for a RBI.
The Bulldogs attempted to rally in the eighth loading the bases against Grant Feichtmeir, but he was able to work out the inning without any runs scoring. Feichtmeir worked 3.1 innings of relief giving up a solo run in the ninth to improve to 2-4. Chad Fillinger worked out of a game tying situation in the ninth to pick up his third save. Eric Dworkis was tagged with the loss in relief, falling to 4-6.
Folgner led Santa Clara with four hits while LaBarbera added three. Four players finished with two hits for Gonzaga with Gebbers driving in four runs. Rodland, Zurmely and Cave also had two hits for GU.
