SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University baseball team continued its fighting ways Saturday, coming back from two separate deficits, but a clutch three-run home run in the eighth inning by Jaxon Murphy sent UC Davis to a 6-4 win in game two of the teams' nonconference series at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Santa Clara (4-3) trailed 2-1 in the fourth inning and 3-2 in the sixth and was able to pull even or go ahead on both occasions. Thomas Ferroggiaro brought home Hunter Fujimoto in the bottom of the fourth with an infield single that traveled about 25 feet from home plate, tying the game at 2-2. Max Ross gave the Broncos a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth with two of his team-leading three RBIs in the game thanks to a two-out, two-run, go-ahead single.
   
• Ross put the Broncos up, 1-0, in the first inning with his first RBI of the day on an RBI single, scoring Ben Cleary all the way from first base. UC Davis (2-4) immediately tied it up at 1-1 in the second with a leadoff home run from Ryan Lee. Two SCU errors and a sacrifice fly gave the Aggies a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, but that was all they would muster off of Santa Clara starter Jace Gillmore.
   
• Gillmore threw four innings, striking out three and walking none while only allowing the one earned run (two overall) in a no-decision. True freshmen relievers Chase Ruden (2 2/3 innings, two strikeouts) and Nick Chow (1 1/3 shutout innings, two strikeouts) both had strong relief outings for the Broncos.
   
• Santa Clara used three different pitchers in UC Davis' decisive eighth inning. Ruden gave up a leadoff single, with Cooper Lanz replacing him. Another single set up Murphy's go-ahead blast. Santa Clara had an opportunity to retire Murphy after he popped a ball up in foul territory, but a blustery day at the ballpark coupled with awkward positioning for the SCU defenders allowed the ball to fall safely as a foul ball. Two pitches later, he launched a three-run homer over the right field wall. Chow entered five batters later and ended the inning with a flyout.
   
• Tyler Howard led the Aggies with two hits and two runs scored. He also walked and stole a base. UCD reliever Mason Lerma (1-0) earned the win in 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits. Santa Clara had five players with multi-hit games, including each of the top three batters in the order. Ferroggiaro (2 for 5, RBI), Cleary (3 for 5, two runs) and Ross (2 for 4, three RBIs, double) went a combined 7 for 14 from the top of the order. Will Anderson (2 for 3, walk) and Mateo Garcia (2 for 4, double, run) also had multi-hit performances.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 9: Santa Clara stranded nine base runners on Saturday despite 13 hits and two walks. Four of those were left in scoring position. The Broncos got a runner on with zero or one out in both the eighth and ninth innings, only trailing by two and trying to start a third comeback rally – but both of those were deflated by double plays.
• 25: Thomas Ferroggiaro's reached base streak was extended to 25 consecutive games Saturday, dating to last season. His active hitting streak – also carried over from 2025 – is now 11 games.

COMING UP

• The rubber game of the series is set for noon on Sunday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.