Hitters, pitchers shut down Santa Clara, 8-2

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (April 5, 2013)—All but one Cougar collected 14 hits Friday in an 8-2 BYU baseball victory over Santa Clara for the second day in a row.

BYU (16-14 overall) evened its record to 4-4 in the West Coast Conference as pitchers Adam Miller and Matt Milke combined to down Santa Clara (8-20, 0-8).

Miller improved his record to 2-5, scattering four hits in five innings. Milke earned his second save of the season. Milke threw the last four innings, holding the Broncos scoreless and hitless. A 6-4-3 double play enabled Milke to retire the side in order in the seventh-inning, giving BYU, the nation’s leader, its second double play in as many days.

“When his (Milke’s) slider is on he is tough,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. “He throws his slider like most pitchers throw their fastball. He really did a nice job. “Adam (Miller) had stiffness in his back so we had to take him out earlier than we wanted, but he is becoming more of a pitcher than a hard thrower."

Offensively, a double, single, double in the third inning by Trace Hansen, Adam Law and Jaycob Brugman ended up with each of them scoring along with Kelton Caldwell as the Cougar lead expanded to 6-0.

Caldwell keyed the second inning plagued by Bronco miscues. Caldwell doubled, advancing Brock Whitney to second. Nate Favero picked up the first of his two sacrifice flies in the game to score Whitney for a 1-0 lead. Caldwell ended up scoring in the second off Hayden Nielsen’s single.

“It’s fun to see freshmen out there doing a great job, stepping up and getting things done,” Littlewood said in reference to Nielsen, Hansen, Favero, Brennon Anderson and Jacob Hannemann.

Santa Clara scored its two runs in the fourth inning.

The Cougars and Broncos close the three-game series Saturday at 1 p.m., with KOVO Radio 960 AM carrying the live broadcast.