Box Score
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The Cornell baseball team rallied from a 12-4 deficit with six runs in the top of the eighth inning, but could not overtake Santa Clara, falling by a 12-10 margin on Sunday afternoon in Santa Clara, Calif.
Nate David had a 3-for-4 day with two home runs and five runs driven in to lead the Big Red offense, as Cornell fell to 2-4 on the season. Santa Clara evens its record at 7-7.
The two teams battled through a scoreless first three frames before the Broncos struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cornell starter
Corey Pappel was roughed up in the fourth inning, allowing three runs on a pair of singles, a walk and three hit-batsmen as the Broncos got the early lead.
Cornell got a run back in the top of the fifth inning as
Adam Jacobs scored on
Domenic Di Ricco's sacrifice fly, but the Broncos added to the lead with two runs in the fifth inning. Santa Clara then broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning, hitting freshman
Brian Billigen for five runs on four hits and a walk to take a 10-1 lead.
In the seventh inning, Cornell closed the gap to 10-4 with a three-run inning.
Scott Hardinger and
Frank Hager led off the frame with back-to-back singles, and David smacked his first home run of the game over the wall in left. Santa Clara then pushed the margin back up to eight with another two runs in the bottom of the seventh before Cornell rallied yet again.
In the eighth, the Big Red loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, with Hager driving in a run by drawing a walk on a 3-2 count.
Brandon Lee, in his first at-bat of his career, lined a double to right to drive in three runs. David then followed with a two-run home run to left-center as Cornell closed to 12-10, but that would be as close as the Big Red could get, as Santa Clara got a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the game.
Mickey Brodsky went 2-for-5 on the day, while Hager went 1-for-2 with a pair of runs scored.
Cornell continues its west coast swing on Tuesday, taking on Saint Mary's College in a 3 p.m. Pacific time contest.
