SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Dons gave themselves chances all game long but came away with nothing to show for it until a wild ninth inning saw the Dons plate four runs behind two Santa Clara errors en route to a 5-2 road victory at Stephen Schott Stadium on Saturday evening. 
 
USF (6-15, 1-1) came into the ninth trailing 2-1 and got a leadoff double from Riley Helland. Helland's pinch-runner, Kyle Norman, was sacrificed over to third by Dan James before coming across when the next hitter, Ryan Matranga, laid down another bunt that turned into an infield single, tying the game at 2-2.
 
With one out and a runner on first base, Blake Valley tapped a ball out in front of home plate that was thrown down the right field line by Santa Clara pitcher Max Kuhns, allowing Matranga to score from first for the go-ahead run.
 
The next batter, Harrison Bruce, bounced one to Bronco shortstop John Cresto, who tried to get Valley at home, but Cresto's throw was off line, giving the Dons a 4-2 advantage.
 
USF finished off the comeback when Allen Smoot hit what looked to be an inning-ending groundout to second base, but SCU's Austin Reyes let the ball slip underneath his glove for a Dons insurance run.   
 
"I thought it had to start evening out," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "The first three innings of the game we squared up about three balls just right at guys; we just couldn't get anything to fall. We did a much better job tonight of putting balls in play and not striking out, and I think that was the difference.
 
"It shows you a lot about this team – they just keep going and going and going. Saturdays are a critical day in conference. If you can flip the momentum and carry it into Sunday, magical things can happen for your team. We needed that; we needed that momentum."  
 
Mack Meyer (1-1) picked up the win with one scoreless inning of relief where he allowed one hit and struck out one. Frank Waliczek came on to earn his second save of the year by walking one and striking out two in the ninth.
 
Smoot (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) led the way for the Dons offensively, while Bruce (1-for-5, 2 R, RBI) and Matranga (1-for-2, R, RBI) drove in runs for the Dons.
 
Both sides traded numerous scoring chances without being able to push across a run until Santa Clara (8-9, 1-1) went out ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth as Reyes laid down a bunt on a suicide squeeze that scored TC Florentine from third. When USF pitcher Grant Goodman fielded the bunt and threw to first, the runner at second, Kert Woods, rounded third without breaking stride, prompting a wild throw from first baseman Ross Puskarich that allowed Woods to score safely.  
 
USF had runners on base in every inning except the first, but couldn't seem to find enough clutch hits until the top of the eighth when the Dons got the first two hitters on. With runners on first and second and one out, Smoot - the first batter to face Kuhns - lined the first offering down the left field line for an RBI double that cut the Bronco lead to 2-1.
 
Kuhns (0-2) took the loss for Santa Clara, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits in 1.2 innings of work in relief.
 
Florentine (4-for-4, 3 2B, R) continued his hot series for the Broncos.  
 
 
WEB GEMS: The bottom of the fifth saw two run-saving plays by Don infielders; with one out and runners at second and third, John Cresto hit a sharp ground ball down the third base line that Dan James stopped, diving to his right to prevent a run while tagging third base to get the lead Bronco runner in the process. Then, with two outs and runners at first and second, Nico Giarratano scooped up a backhand deep in the hole between third and shortstop and, with his momentum taking him toward the third base line, threw a strike across his body to first base to get the final out. 
 
NOTES: This was the Dons' second come-from-behind win of the year (vs. Hawai'i, Feb. 28)… USF was 4-for-21 with runners on base, while Santa Clara went 1-for-13… the Dons were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position; the Broncos went 0-for-11 in those situations.
 
UP NEXT: The Dons and Broncos conclude their three-game series on Sunday with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. from Stephen Schott Stadium. RHP James Kannenberg (1-1, 4.22) will get the nod for the Dons, while LHP Jason Seever (2-0, 2.04) is lined up to start for Santa Clara.