SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Down but not out, the Santa Clara University baseball team came from behind Sunday with clutch at-bats and stout relief pitching from a number of underclassmen to walk off Utah Tech in the 10th inning, 5-4, for their fourth consecutive win and a sweep of the non-conference weekend series at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Santa Clara (9-9) started its comeback in the sixth inning, trailing 4-0 after starting pitcher Jackson Cook was touched up for four runs in 1 2/3 innings, including three solo homers in the top of the first. The Broncos scored all four of their tying runs with two outs, starting with a three-run rally in the sixth. Will Anderson put SCU on the board with an RBI single after two free passes (a walk and hit-by-pitch) put a runner in scoring position. Sophomore designated hitter Tate Medicoff then fouled off four consecutive 0-2 pitches before finally doubling down the left-field line, scoring Anderson and fellow sophomore Luke Devine.
   
• When the game was on the line, it was a pair of true freshmen who rose to meet the challenge. Back-to-back, two-out, pinch-hit at-bats in the ninth tied the game. Mateo Garcia gave the Broncos a runner in scoring position with a two-out, pinch-hit double, and true freshman Hunter Fujimoto knocked the second pitch he saw to shallow right field to knot it at 4-4.
   
• It was true freshman Waylon Walsh who delivered the final blow in the bottom of the 10th. Devine drew a one-out walk and Anderson singled to put runners on the corners. Utah Tech (13-7) intentionally walked Medicoff to load the bases, and Walsh worked a 2-1 count before lining a ball nearly over the head of right fielder Hudson Manwaring. Manwaring caught it off-balance with an outstretched arm above his head, doing his best to lob a throw back to the infield — but it wasn't enough to keep Devine from tagging up and scoring the game-winning run.
   
• The bullpen was equally vital to the comeback. After Cook's exit, true freshman Trevor Banning threw 2 1/3 innings of no-hit, shutout relief and true freshman Nick Chow followed with two more shutout frames, allowing only an infield single. Sophomores RJ Meyn (1/3 inning) and Vincent Braga (1 inning) carried Santa Clara through the eighth with clean, no-hit outings of their own.
   
• Utah Tech had wasted no time building its lead. Kyle McDaniel homered over the right-field wall on Cook's very first pitch of the afternoon. Ryan Kroepel followed with a solo shot two batters later, and Miller Durham did the same two batters after that, putting the Trailblazers up 3-0 before the crowd of 338 had settled in. Kace Naone drove home another run in the second to make it 4-0 and chase Cook. Utah Tech scored four runs on six hits — including those three home runs — in 1 2/3 innings against the starter, then managed only three singles and no runs over the final 8 1/3 against the SCU bullpen.
   
• Medicoff finished 2 for 4 with a double for his third consecutive multi-hit game and fourth in his last five. Anderson also went 2 for 4 with an RBI, a run scored, and a walk. For Utah Tech, Durham went 2 for 4 with a home run and a walk, and McDaniel was 2 for 5 with his leadoff blast. Kroepel (1-1), who entered the afternoon with six saves already through the season's first five weeks, took the loss after allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks. Cooper Lanz (1-3) earned his first win of the season with 1 1/3 scoreless innings to finish it off.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• .500: Medicoff is batting .500 (9 for 18) and slugging 1.222 with seven extra-base hits over his last five games. Of the 26 RBIs the Broncos have collected as a team in those five games, he has 13 of them.
• 4: Sunday's win pushed Santa Clara's win streak to four games. It's the team's longest winning streak since also winning four in a row from Feb. 18-25, 2024, taking a series finale from Arizona State before sweeping UMBC at home.

COMING UP

• The Broncos' home stand concludes at 6 p.m. Wednesday with a single game versus Connecticut. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links at SantaClaraBroncos.com.