The Santa Clara University baseball team defeated Loyola Marymount University 17-2 on March 27 in a West Coast Conference series opener at Stephen Schott Stadium.
The win ends a five-game losing streak for the Broncos, who scored 17 runs on 14 hits, including seven extra-base hits. The game was shortened by the mercy rule after seven innings.
Santa Clara took control early, scoring three runs in the first inning and then adding eleven more in the second. Waylon Walsh hit his first career home run to start the second inning, going 2 for 2 with three RBIs during that frame. Max Ross also contributed two hits and two RBIs in the same inning, while Andrew Rayment reached base twice and hit an RBI double.
On the mound, Max Bayles earned his third win of the season by pitching six and one-third innings with ten strikeouts and allowing only one earned run. Max Reimers finished out the seventh inning to secure the victory.
LMU managed two runs: a solo home run from Zach Wadas in the fifth inning and another run following an error in the seventh. LMU starter Jonah Johnson took the loss after giving up ten runs over just over one inning pitched.
Game two of this conference series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
