LAS VEGAS — The Santa Clara University baseball team kept its unbeaten weekend series streak alive Sunday, stretching it to four consecutive weeks with a 9-5 road win over UNLV to split a two-game non-conference series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sunday's game was a stark contrast to Saturday's pitching duel. The teams combined for 14 runs on 22 hits in the series finale, a day after the two pitching staffs combined for 15 strikeouts. Santa Clara (11-6) posted five multi-hit performances after only having one on Saturday. Even the Rebels' (10-8) defense was flipped, committing three errors Sunday after playing flawless on Saturday.
   
• Efrain Manzo did most of the Broncos' damage from the cleanup spot in the order, going 3 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored. He singled and scored in the third, giving Santa Clara the "winning run," with UNLV scoring in the bottom half and the Broncos never trailing thanks to owning a 2-1 lead going forward. He drove home another run in the fifth to make it 3-1, then scored on Dylan Joyce's three-run homer, which put SCU up, 6-1.
   
• UNLV answered with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the fifth, pulling back within one at 6-5. But the Broncos all but put the game to bed with three runs in the seventh. Manzo's solo home run to lead off the inning made it 7-5. The Broncos then got two two-out RBIs, taking advantage of a two-out miscue from the Rebels. Jordan Lewis tripled home Malcolm Williams and Ben Cleary singled Lewis home a batter later to make it 9-5.
   
• Max Bayles pitched two innings of shutout relief in the eighth and ninth innings to close out the game. He only allowed one hit and struck out two with two walks.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 1: Joyce hit his first home run in a Santa Clara uniform Sunday. His three-run shot in the seventh gave him 40 total collegiate home runs. Joyce transferred from NCAA Division III member University of Puget Sound, where he set the program's career record with 39 homers.
• 5: A day after striking out 15 times, the Broncos' offense cleaned things up and only struck out five times on Sunday. It was their third-lowest strikeout total in a game this season. Santa Clara is 8-4 this season when it strikes out less than 10 times in a game.

NEXT UP
The Broncos return to Schott Stadium for a four-game home starting Tuesday. Santa Clara will host San Jose State, then open West Coast Conference play on Friday with a three-game series. Fans can purchase tickets and find live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.