IRVINE, Calif.— Robert Hipwell posted back-to-back multi-hit games with three doubles in his season debut and the Santa Clara University baseball team tallied 14 runs on 17 hits across two games, but the opposing offenses did slightly more, as the Broncos fell, 12-11, against host USC and 12-3 in a neutral site game against Sacramento State at Great Park.
 
vs. USC

• Santa Clara (18-18) held three separate leads over USC (19-20) Saturday, scoring a run in the top of the first to lead 1-0, scoring six in the top of the third to lead 7-1, and scoring one in the top of the eighth to break a 10-10 tie. It was Ben Cleary's sacrifice fly in the eighth that brought Malcolm Williams home and made it 11-10 Broncos at the time.
   
• The Trojans were able to put together a go-ahead, two-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. A leadoff single and one-out walk put the tying and go-ahead runs on. They both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, and then came home on a game-tying fielder's choice ground ball, and a safety squeeze sacrifice bunt, making it 12-11.
   
• Hipwell and Efrain Manzo went a combined 4 for 8 with four RBIs, five runs scored and three extra-base hits in the No. 3 and 4 spots in the order. The Trojans got seven multi-hit games from their lineup, including three-hit games from Ryan Jackson and Kevin Takeuchi, also in their No. 3 and 4 spots in their order.
   
• Santa Clara's six-run third included five runs scored with two outs. Four consecutive two-out RBI knocks from Johnny Tarantino, Williams, Kai Cunningham and Cleary, as well as a fifth run scoring on a balk, turned the Broncos' 2-1 lead into a 7-1 advantage.

vs. SACRAMENTO STATE

• Hipwell went 2 for 4 again in the nightcap against Sacramento State (20-21) with another double after hitting two in the opener against USC. Three freshmen drove in the runs for Santa Clara. Redshirt freshman Caden Thompson had a pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth and fellow redshirt freshman Cunningham had an RBI double in the fifth. True freshman Payton Lambert had an RBI groundout in the ninth.
   
• The Broncos used nine different pitchers against the Hornets. Redshirt freshman Will Pappas posted his fourth scoreless outing of the year and second of the week, closing out the eighth with 2/3 of no-hit, shutout work including a strikeout.
   
• Sacramento State's 1-2-3 hitters went 6 for 15 with five RBIs and five runs scored. The Hornets had four multi-hit performances.

NEXT UP

• Santa Clara returns home next week for a four-game homestand starting Tuesday. The Broncos host El Camino Real rival Stanford for a midweek contest on Tuesday, then hosts East Bay foe Saint Mary's for a three-game West Coast Conference series starting Friday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.