SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Pitching ruled the day again Sunday, with both Santa Clara University and Portland's staffs stifling opposing lineups and escaping jams all the way into extra innings, as the Pilots narrowly avoided a West Coast Conference series sweep at the hands of the Broncos with a 3-1 win in 10 innings at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Santa Clara (16-26, 5-13 WCC) and Portland (23-18, 9-9 WCC) combined to strand the bases loaded three times Sunday in a game that was scoreless until the fifth and only a 1-0 contest until the eighth. The Pilots opened by loading the bases in the top of the first but came away empty after a fielder's choice cut down the lead runner at the plate and a strikeout ended the frame. Tyler Alleman handled that escape and threw three shutout innings with two strikeouts to open the game for Santa Clara.
   
• Portland returned the favor in the sixth. With the Broncos trailing 1-0, SCU loaded the bases with one out and appeared poised to get on the board. WCC saves leader Alexander Via (1-3) entered in relief and induced a fielder's choice to get the runner at home, then a diving catch in left field by a charging Cody Nitowitz ended the rally and preserved Portland's 1-0 edge.
   
• Josh Johnson authored the Broncos' other mound escape, entering in the fifth with the bases loaded and nobody out after three consecutive leadoff hits had given the Pilots a 1-0 lead. Johnson got two flyouts to right field — neither of which Portland dared tag up on against Luke Devine's strong arm — then struck out Troy Osborne to limit the damage to only one run.
   
• Santa Clara stranded six runners in the game, four in scoring position, and went 0 for 5 with runners on second and/or third to open the contest. The Broncos finally got on the board in the eighth when Max Ross came through for the third consecutive day, knocking in Payton Lambert from second to tie the game at 1-1.
   
• Portland reached base in every inning until the ninth and stranded runners in seven of the 10 frames. The Pilots outhit the Broncos 11-4 and drew six free passes (four walks, two hit-by-pitches), but went only 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position — with only one of those hits driving in a run, Trey Swygart's RBI double in the fifth.
   
• Two leadoff free passes to open Portland's half of the 10th proved to be the beginning of the end. An infield single loaded the bases, and the Pilots followed with two productive outs — a sacrifice fly and a sacrifice bunt up the first base side — to take a 3-1 lead. Via, who threw a season-long 4 2/3 innings, earned the win by retiring the final seven batters he faced, including perfect ninth and 10th innings.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 0: Santa Clara went error-free throughout the entire Portland series, posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 112 total chances across three games. The Broncos now have 21 errorless games this season.
• 21: Ross' eighth-inning, game-tying RBI single erased a Santa Clara deficit for the 21st time this season. The Broncos have seven come-from-behind wins in 2026.

COMING UP

• The Broncos begin a four-game road trip at Cal Poly on Tuesday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.