May. 1, 2005

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Gonzaga University baseball team dropped its third consecutive game, 4-1, to the Santa Clara University Broncos Sunday afternoon at Stephen Schott Stadium.

With the win the Broncos complete a three game sweep over the Bulldogs and move to .500 with a 22-22 overall record and move to 7-13 in WCC play. With the loss, combined with the University of San Diego win today, the Bulldogs WCC Coast Division lead dropped to one game, and GU falls to 25-18 overall and 12-8 in the WCC.

Santa Clara did most of their damage in the third inning as they scored three runs on four hits. The Broncos scored their runs on a RBI single by Ryan Chiarelli, a Kevin Drever run scoring triple and a Shawn Epindendio RBI sacrifice fly to right field.

The Bulldogs spoiled the shutout in the ninth inning as the Zags scored one run on three hits. Third baseman Darin Holcomb led off the inning with a single to center field and moved to second on Jeff Culpepper's single to left field. After the Bulldogs loaded the bases with a Jackson Brennan single, Kiel Thibault then hit into a double play which brought Holcomb home from third.

Holcomb led the Bulldogs offense as he went 2-for-4 with one double and one run scored.

Kellan McConnell (3-6) picked up the win for the Broncos as he allowed no runs on three hits in six innings of work. Gonzaga's Bobby McEwen (1-3) was saddled with the loss as he allowed four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work.

The Bulldogs will open the first game of a three-game WCC series on Friday at 3 p.m. against USD, the WCC Coast Division second place team, at Avista Stadium.