SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Double-digit hits at the plate, double-digit strikeouts on the mound, multiple home runs and flawless defense – everything came together Friday night for the Santa Clara University baseball team, as the Broncos executed every facet of the game to beat Utah Tech, 8-1, in the team's non-conference series opener at Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Eight of nine Santa Clara (7-9) starters in the lineup had base hits Friday, including five multi-hit performances. Tate Medicoff went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, two runs scored and his third home run in as many games. His solo shot in the bottom of the eighth cleared the center field wall just to the right of the batter's eye, adding insurance and making it 6-1 at the time. True freshman third baseman Waylon Walsh put up his first career multi-hit game and drove in an RBI for the second straight game, going 2 for 3.
   
• Ben Cleary hit his first home run of the season – a two-run shot – to cap a three-run eighth and make it 8-1, finishing the night 2 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Max Ros went 2 for 5 with an RBI and Andrew Rayment went 2 for 4 with a double that narrowly missed clearing the wall in the sixth.
   
• Max Bayles (2-0) powered the Broncos on the mound, throwing a quality start with nine strikeouts and only two hits allowed in a season-long six innings. He didn't allow a base runner until the third inning, didn't allow a hit until the fifth and didn't lose his shutout until Kace Naone led off the sixth with a solo home run, accounting for the Trailblazers' (13-5) only run of the game. RJ Meyn followed Bayles with two shutout, no-hit innings of relief, and Vincent Braga recorded a career-high three strikeouts in a scoreless, hitless ninth inning to wrap up the victory.
   
• Santa Clara started the scoring in the second when it put runners on the corners with no outs to start the inning, and Medicoff tallied a sacrifice fly to put SCU up, 1-0. It put the first two runners on to start the third as well and got an RBI single from Ross and a sacrifice fly from Will Anderson to go ahead, 3-0. RBI singles from Thomas Ferroggiaro in the fourth and Walsh in the fifth made it 5-0. Medicoff's and Cleary's homers three innings later capped the night for the Santa Clara offense.
   
• Jackson Price (0-1) took the loss for Utah Tech after allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings. Finnegan Stewart had the Trailblazers' only other hit, a single with one out in the fifth to break up the potential no-hitter.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 15: Santa Clara tied a season high with 15 strikeouts on the mound. It marked the 10th time in 16 games this season the staff has struck out 10 or more batters.
• 17: Cleary's reached base safely streak was extended to 17 games Friday. The streak includes all 16 games of the 2026 season and the final game of the 2025 campaign.

COMING UP

• The series continues with game two at 1 p.m. Saturday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.