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STANFORD, Calif. -- Santa Clara’s Ryan Budnick hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the 10th inning to account for the only run of a 1-0 decision at Stanford’s Klein Field at Sunken Diamond Tuesday night. The Cardinal (4 hits) and Broncos (5 hits) combined for nine hits in the extra-inning contest.
Stanford (20-26) dropped the season series to Santa Clara after also falling in 10-innings April 14 against the Broncos.
Santa Clara (21-26) was on the ropes in the ninth inning during the game’s best scoring opportunity. Stanford had the bases loaded with one out thanks to a Zach Hoffpauir single, a fielder’s choice that did not get an out and a walk to Alex Dunlap. Reliever Mitchell White entered the game and fanned a pair of Cardinal hitters to get out of the jam and force extras.
White (2-2) stayed in for the 10th after Budnick’s third homer of the season to earn the win. He struck out four over 1.2 innings as the last of five Broncos’ pitchers. Lefty Evan Brisentine worked the first 7.0 innings, allowing just two infield singles to Dunlap.
Stanford’s pitching staff was dominant until Colton Hock allowed the deciding shot to left field. Sophomore left-hander Chris Castellanos allowed two hits in the first 6.0 innings and Tyler Thorne followed with 3.0 innings of one-hit work to keep the game 0-0 after the scheduled nine innings. Castellanos struck out three and Thorne fanned two.
Hock took the loss to fall to 1-1.
Other than Dunlap, only Tommy Edman and Hoffpauir had hits for Stanford. Edman singled with two outs in the 10th, but was stranded at first to end the game.
Stanford travels to nationally-ranked USC this weekend for three games Friday-Sunday. All three will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.