BERKELEY, Calif. — The Santa Clara University baseball team again relied on strong pitching performances Saturday, this time from senior right-hander Victor Martinez and closer Caden Wooster, as the Broncos beat host California, 4-2, in game two of the teams' non-conference series at Stu Gordon Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Victor Martinez (1-1) earned his first victory as a Bronco Saturday with a dominant performance, carrying Santa Clara (6-3) to its second win over the Golden Bears (5-5) in as many days. Martinez threw seven shutout innings, the longest outing of his career, and was only one strikeout shy of his career high with seven. He only allowed one hit, a leadoff double in the second inning that very well could have been ruled an error after the Santa Clara outfielder misjudged the ball, overran it and had it sail over his head.
   
• Martinez dealt with four total base runners across the first two innings, but he was able to strand all four of them, including two in scoring position. He settled in after that, retiring an impressive 17 in a row from the end of the second inning through the seventh. He came out to start the eighth but issued a four-pitch walk and exited the game to applause from all fans in attendance.
   
• Santa Clara used three pitchers to get the final six outs of the game, including three in the eighth inning alone. Wooster earned his second save of the week with four outs of work. The Golden Bears brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth – just as they did on Friday – after back-to-back leadoff hits brought in a run and made it 4-2. But Wooster locked in, striking out the next three batters in a row to seal the victory.
   
• The day was mostly a pitcher's duel between Martinez and California's Gavin Eddy. Eddy threw into the sixth inning, only allowing one unearned run, which scored after he departed. Eddy struggled with control, issuing six walks and hitting a batter, but he worked around trouble all day by only allowing one hit in 5 1/3 innings.
   
• Malcolm Williams gave Santa Clara some breathing room in the seventh when he brought home two on a two-out RBI double. That turned the Broncos' lead from 1-0 to 3-0. California's defense committed three errors in the top of the ninth alone and SCU tacked on another insurance run to make it 4-1, but a bases loaded double play ended the threat and prevented the Broncos from adding even more.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 10: Santa Clara pitchers struck out 10 California batters Saturday. It marked the fourth time this season the Broncos' staff has recorded at least 10 Ks in a game and second day in a row after striking out 14 Golden Bears Friday. Santa Clara is 4-0 this season when its pitchers record at least 10 strikeouts.
• 15: Ben Cleary continued to extend his reached base safely streak Saturday, going 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

COMING UP

• The four-game series shifts to Santa Clara on Sunday and Monday for games three and four. Sunday is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start, with Monday slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.