SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — Brady Reynolds delivered a decisive pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth inning Wednesday night, lifting the Stanford Cardinal to a 6-4 victory over the Santa Clara Broncos at Stephen Schott Stadium.

The game, a midweek nonconference tilt, saw Stanford even the season series after Santa Clara had won a 2-1 pitchers’ duel just a week prior. The Cardinal improved to 18-19 overall, while the Broncos fell to 14-25.

Stanford built an early lead with a three-run second inning, capitalizing on patient at-bats and timely hitting. After Charlie Bates walked and Jimmy Nati and Nolan Stoll bunted and singled to load the bases, Owen Sell drew a walk to force in the first run. Cort MacDonald then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, plating two more for a 3-0 advantage.

The Cardinal extended their lead to 4-0 in the third when star first baseman Rintaro Sasaki launched a solo home run to right field off reliever Jack Stewart.

Santa Clara chipped away against the Stanford bullpen in the fourth. Michael Walsh singled and scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by JonJon Sos. K.C. Cunningham followed with a run-scoring double to cut the deficit to 4-2.

The score held until the pivotal eighth. With one out, Bates singled. After a popout, Reynolds was summoned to hit for Stoll. On a 1-1 count from reliever Nick Braga, Reynolds connected, sending a two-run shot over the left-field wall to double Stanford’s lead and provide critical insurance.

The most important sequence of the game was Reynolds’ homer, as it immediately answered Santa Clara’s mounting pressure and restored a multi-run cushion for the Cardinal bullpen.

Santa Clara responded in the bottom of the frame. Pinch-hitter Efrain Garcia doubled, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch from reliever Ryan Moore to make it 6-4. The Broncos put the tying run on base with a walk but could not draw closer.

Stanford’s Teddy Tokheim doubled with two outs in the ninth, and pinch-runner Philip Cheong advanced to third on an error, but was stranded. Santa Clara threatened in its final at-bat, putting the potential tying run at the plate after a Stanford error, but reliever Justin Thomas induced a game-ending groundout to secure the win.

Both teams finished with nine hits. Stanford’s offense was paced by three walks from Sasaki and two-hit games from Bates and Nati. For Santa Clara, Cunningham and Coleman Devine each drove in a run, with Devine’s seventh-inning double bringing the Broncos within a run before Reynolds’ homer.

The game featured 11 pitchers between the two teams. Stanford starter Derek Ketelsen did not allow a hit over three innings, striking out three. Santa Clara starter Jared Banning was pulled after one inning, having allowed two walks. The loss was charged to Braga.

Stanford next hosts Florida State for a three-game series beginning Friday. Santa Clara opens a West Coast Conference series at home against Portland on Friday.