SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a tightly contested midweek rematch, the Santa Clara Broncos avenged a lopsided loss from just six days prior by holding off the San Jose State Spartans 5-3 in nonconference baseball action Monday at Stephen Schott Stadium.

The most critical juncture of the game arrived in the top of the seventh inning, with Santa Clara clinging to a 5-3 lead. San Jose State, which had been held to just one hit since the second inning, mounted a threat against reliever Brayden Dotoli. Matt Cotas reached on a fielding error by first baseman Michael Medicoff and advanced to second. After a walk, a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with one out.

Spartans right fielder Alex Fernandes then delivered a pivotal double to left-center field, scoring both runners and tying the game. However, the play was scored as two runs batted in, with only the second run being deemed unearned due to the earlier error. Dotoli escaped further damage by inducing a groundout and a strikeout, preserving a 5-5 tie and setting the stage for Santa Clara’s immediate response.

The Broncos did not wait to reclaim the lead. In the bottom of the fifth, San Jose State reliever Caden Duke hit JonJon Luetzow with a pitch. Michael Ross followed with a double, putting runners at second and third. Duke then unleashed two wild pitches, allowing both Luetzow and Ross to score, providing the decisive 5-3 margin. Those two unearned runs, fueled by free bases and defensive miscues, proved the difference.

Santa Clara’s bullpen quartet of Tyler Alleman, Dotoli, Max Reimers and Hunter Hargett was dominant after the second inning. They combined for six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out nine. Dotoli, named the top star for Santa Clara, earned the win with three strong innings of relief, surrendering only one hit and no earned runs with three strikeouts. This was a stark turnaround from his previous outing against the Spartans on March 24, where he allowed three earned runs in just 1 2/3 innings in an 18-6 loss.

San Jose State’s early offense came in the second inning. Jack Klein singled, Cotas walked, and Robert Gamester doubled to right field to drive in Klein for a 3-2 lead. The Spartans managed only five hits total, with Fernandes’ two-RBI double in the seventh being their only other significant knock.

Santa Clara built its initial lead with a patient, gritty bottom of the first. Facing Spartans starter Sam Boyle, the Broncos scored twice without a hit, using two hit-by-pitches and two walks, including a bases-loaded walk to Ross and a run-scoring walk to Cole Lambert. They tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth on an RBI single by Ben Carston.

San Jose State relievers Spencer Kratt, Cade Cushing and Peter Herrick provided 5 2/3 innings of hitless relief, but the two wild pitches in the fifth inning were their undoing.

With the victory, Santa Clara improved its season record to 13-14, while San Jose State fell to 12-15. The result flipped the script from the teams’ meeting the previous Tuesday, where the Spartans romped to an 18-6 win. It also defied the Interstat game simulator, which had projected a 7-5 San Jose State victory, though Santa Clara’s 58% win probability according to the ELO system proved more accurate.

Both teams open conference series on the road this Thursday. San Jose State hosts Washington State, while Santa Clara travels to face San Diego.