SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Santa Clara University baseball sophomore right-hander Max Bayles was named the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week Monday for the week of May 5-11 – his third such award of the season – after striking out nine Saturday and shutting down first-place San Diego.
 
Bayles struck out nine while only allowing one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings Saturday versus the Toreros, leading the Broncos to a 10-1 victory. 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 second-year righty settled in after the first inning and retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced, including nine in a row from the second to the fifth.
 
Bayles surpassed the 100 strikeouts mark for the season Saturday with his seventh strikeout of the day in the fifth. His 102 strikeouts in 2025 lead the WCC and rank No. 9 in the nation. His 14.89 strikeouts per nine innings rate is No. 3 in the country. He's also ranked among the nation's best in a number of advanced statistical categories. Bayles' 3.42 xFIP (expected fielding independent pitching) is No. 4 in the nation. His 37.2% strikeout rate is No. 5 in the country.

It has been a decorated 2025 season for Bayles, who also earned the year's first two WCC Pitcher of the Week awards on Feb. 17 and Feb. 24. He was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association "Stopper of the Year" Award Watch List on Feb. 12, and he was placed on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List on April 3.
 
Bayles and the Broncos travel to the East Bay starting Thursday for their final series of the regular season, a three-game West Coast Conference set at Saint Mary's. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.