SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Saturday it was the Santa Clara University baseball team taking advantage of mistakes and erasing an early deficit, running away with a 10-1 victory over San Diego thanks to 10 free passes issued by the Toreros and evening the teams' West Coast Conference series at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Santa Clara (20-26, 7-13 WCC) drew five walks and got hit by five pitches Saturday, and had five of them cross the plate in its second double-digit-runs output of the week (also beat Stanford, 13-6, on Tuesday). It also scored a run on a passed ball in the fifth and took advantage of an error in the seventh to start what would be a four-run rally.
   
• While the Santa Clara offense was scoring 10 runs on 10 hits, Max Bayles (3-5) was cruising on the mound. The sophomore righty struck out nine while only allowing one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He surpassed the 100 strikeouts mark for the season with his seventh strikeout of the day in the fifth. It was a bounce-back performance for Bayles, who had allowed nine earned runs in his last nine innings pitched (two appearances), but Saturday shut down a lineup that ranked among the WCC's top-four in batting average and slugging percentage.
   
• The Broncos actually had to come from behind to win Saturday after San Diego (21-28, 15-5 WCC) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Austin Smith's RBI double. San Diego was threatening for more with one out and a runner in scoring position, but a searing line drive hit by Jayden Lobliner went straight into Ben Cleary's glove at shortstop, and he tossed the ball to Malcolm Williams at second base to catch Smith off the bag for a rally killing double play.
   
• Like the Toreros did to Santa Clara in Friday's opener, the Broncos erased their early 1-0 deficit with a crooked number on the scoreboard and never looked back. Dylan Joyce's 12th home run of the season in the bottom of the first, a two-run shot that followed Cleary's one-out double, was a quick response that put the Broncos on top for good.
   
• The game stayed tight through the early goings, with Santa Clara only adding an insurance run in the fourth on Luke Devine's RBI single to make it 3-1. Bayles settled in after the first and retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced, including nine in a row from the second to the fifth. The Broncos finally gave themselves more breathing room in the fifth, scoring three runs without recording a base hit. Each of the inning's first four batters reached base for free (two walks, two hit-by-pitches), bringing in the first run. Joyce scrambled home on a passed ball, and Mateo Garcia brought in the third run on a sacrifice fly, making it 6-1.
   
• Santa Clara's bats went off in the seventh, adding four more runs to go up 10-1 and nearly run-rule the Toreros. The Broncos hit three doubles in the inning, highlighted by RBI doubles from Devine and Max Ross. SCU's 11th run – and the one that would've given them the 10-run mercy rule victory – was stranded at second base.
   
• Joyce logged his team-leading 16th multi-hit game of the season, going 2 for 4 with a home run, double, three runs scored, two RBIs and a walk. Devine went 2 for 3 with a double, two RBIs, a run scored and a walk. Victor Martinez shut down San Diego the rest of the way, striking out six and only allowing one hit in 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief.
   
• Aden Howard had San Diego's only multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 but never advancing past second base. The Toreros only had three at-bats all game with runners in scoring position, going 0 for 3. Porter Rovin (1-2) took the defeat, allowing three runs on six hits in only 3 1/3 innings of work.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 10: The Broncos' 10 runs Saturday are the most runs they've scored against the Toreros since also scoring 10 against them in a 10-6 win on March 24, 2023, also played at Schott Stadium.
• 13: Santa Clara now has 13 come-from-behind wins in 2025, matching their total from 2024. It has now erased 26 different deficits at any given point in a game this season.
• 15: Bayles and Martinez combined for 15 strikeouts Saturday. Broncos pitchers have now recorded 28 total strikeouts (13 on Friday) in two games against San Diego. They're now 9-7 this season when totaling at least 10 strikeouts on the mound.

COMING UP

• Sunday's rubber match of the series is scheduled for a noon first pitch. The Broncos will also hold Senior Day ceremonies starting at 11:25 a.m. Fans can purchase tickets and find live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.