STANFORD, Calif. — The Santa Clara University baseball team led big early, led again late, and loaded the bases in extra innings Tuesday night, but it was host Stanford who would steal a victory, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 6-5 non-conference win at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Santa Clara (12-13) threatened to score its own go-ahead runs in the top of the 10th, loading the bases with only one out thanks to three free passes (two walks, one hit-by-pitch). But Stanford (17-9) pulled a Houdini escape act, subbing in 2.45-ERA Ty Uber to replace Toran O'Harran, who entered the night with a 7.82 ERA. Uber got back-to-back strikeouts to end the Broncos' threat and send the Cardinal to the 10th.
   
• A fielding error with one out gave Stanford a runner in scoring position, and two pitches later, the game was over. Pinch hitter Brandon Larson sent the Cardinal home with an RBI single to the left-center field gap, which rolled all the way to the wall, easily scoring Temo Becerra from second base.  
   
• Santa Clara jumped out to a big, 4-0, lead in the first inning. Each of the first three Broncos to bat in the game singled, the third an RBI single from Dylan Joyce to make it 1-0. Three batters later, after a walk to Malcolm Williams loaded the bases, Johnny Luetzow came through with a clutch, bases-clearing double down the left field line that put Santa Clara up, 4-0.
   
• Santa Clara took a lead again in the seventh on an RBI single from Malcolm Williams, making it 5-4. Dylan Joyce started the inning reaching on a fielding error, moved to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a groundout, then scored on Williams' line drive hit over the leaping Stanford shortstop, Becerra.
   
• Stanford slowly started working its way back into the game after the Broncos had taken a 4-0 lead in the first. A run in the fourth, two RBI singles in the fifth (including one unearned run scoring), and a game-tying, solo home run by team leader Trevor Haskins in the sixth knotted the game back up at 4-4.
   
• The Broncos loaded the bases in the third inning with no outs and didn't score any runs, striking out three consecutive times. They had a runner in scoring position in the fourth with one out and two strikeouts ended the inning. And when they loaded the bases in the 10th, back-to-back strikeouts stranded the runners. Santa Clara struck out 15 times Tuesday night, eight of those coming with runners in scoring position.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 13: Santa Clara stranded 13 runners Tuesday. It was their most left on in a game this season, and most since leaving 17 on in an extra-innings game at San Diego last season on May 3, 2024. Seven of the runners were left in scoring position.
• 15: The Broncos' 15 strikeouts at the plate were their most of the season, and most since also striking out 15 times last season at UNLV on March 16, 2024. They are 3-3 this year when striking out 10 times or more in a game.

COMING UP

• Santa Clara's road trip continues this weekend with a three-game West Coast Conference series at Pepperdine starting Friday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.