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The LMU baseball team (9-8, 0-1 WCC) got off to a rough start to the WCC slate on Friday at home against Santa Clara, as the Broncos (8-8, 1-0 WCC) took the first game of a three-game series by a count of 6-1.

Senior Tanner Donnels provided the lone Lion highlight of the night, belting his third homer, and third in the last four games, in the bottom of the first. LMU's only other hits in the game came off the bats of David Fletcher, David Edwards and Ted Boeke, with Fletcher and Edwards each collecting a double.

Right-hander Steven Wilson was outstanding for Santa Clara, tossing eight innings and allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out six. With the quality effort, Wilson improved to 2-1 on the season.

Senior Colin Welmon fell to 2-3 on the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits over six innings. The right-hander did strike out nine batters, but he also walked three over his 98 pitches.

Jose Vizcaino, Jr. collected his third homer of the year to put the Broncos on the board in the top of the first, while TC Florentine lined a two-RBI single with two out in the third to extend the lead to 4-1 after three.

Vizcaino, Jr. finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI. Stevie Berman, who tormented the Lions last year at Santa Clara, made his first start of the season and went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The Broncos scored a pair of unearned runs in the seventh, as a ground ball under Donnels' glove came back to bite the Lions.

LMU managed just one hit after the first hitter in the third inning, striking out eight times over the span.

The Lions will look to get back on track tomorrow when they host Santa Clara in the second game of the three-game series at 6 p.m.