SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Sunday it was UC San Diego who took advantage of mistakes, scoring five unearned runs and using 12 total free base runners to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Santa Clara University baseball team, beating the Broncos, 5-2, in the teams' non-conference series finale at Stephen Schott Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UC San Diego (14-13) drew eight walks, was hit by a pitch twice and had two batters reach via error for its 12 free base runners in the game. Four of its five runs would be scored by runners who reached base for free. And an error with two outs in the first inning, and another on a sacrifice bunt in the fifth, made all of the Tritons' runs unearned.
   
• The game was tied, 1-1, through four innings, with Santa Clara (12-12) coming from behind yet again to tie it after UCSD took a 1-0 lead in the first. Malcolm Williams led off the third inning with a double, moved to third base on a sac bunt, then scored on Andrew Rayment's game-tying RBI single. Santa Clara threatened to score on numerous occasions Sunday, but went only 3 for 20 (.150) with runners on base.
   
• The Broncos had their leadoff batter reach base five times Sunday, including four consecutive times from the second to fifth innings. Both of Santa Clara's runs were scored by leadoff batters who reached to star the inning – Williams in the third and Ferroggiaro in the fifth. But UC San Diego also threw out three would-be base stealers, including two that were picked off running from first base.
   
• The Tritons scored four runs in the fifth, all unearned, to take the lead for good. Noah Lazuka was hit by a pitch, Michael Crossland singled and Trevian Martinez tried to sacrifice them into scoring position but reached safely on an SCU error, loading the bases with no outs. Freshman righty Andrew Habermann entered the high-pressured situation in relief and answered the call with back-to-back strikeouts. But a bases-loaded walk and back-to-back RBI singles from Patrick Hackworth and Thomas Maher made it 5-1.
   
• The Broncos put up one more comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate twice. Mateo Garcia nearly tied it with a long fly ball that died in the wind and was caught just short of the warning track in right field. UCSD's Sam Hasegawa – who took the loss on Saturday – earned his second save of the season with a strikeout to end the game.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 10: Santa Clara issued 10 total walks and hit-by-pitches (eight walks, two HBP). It was its 10th game this season with at least 10 combined walks and hit batters. The Broncos are 2-8 in those games.
• 14 2/3: Henry Stewart allowed his first run of the year on Sunday, but it was unearned, stretching his streak of not allowing an earned run to 14 2/3 innings this season.

COMING UP

• Santa Clara begins a four-game road trip Tuesday up the road at Stanford before heading to Southern California for a three-game West Coast Conference series at Pepperdine starting Friday. Fans can find all live coverage links at SantaClaraBroncos.com.