BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — In a tense, back-and-forth affair that required extra innings, the California Golden Bears edged the San Francisco Dons 4-3 in 10 innings on Wednesday at Evans Diamond, securing a season-series split after the teams traded shutouts in their previous meeting.

The game’s decisive moment came in the bottom of the 10th. With the bases loaded and one out, California’s Kaito Nakao worked a full-count walk against San Francisco reliever Jack Wheeler, forcing in PJ Kodama with the winning run. The walk-off walk capped a resilient comeback for the Golden Bears, who had trailed 3-0 after the top of the first inning.

San Francisco’s Myles Kallinger provided an immediate jolt, launching a solo home run to deep left field on the game’s fourth pitch. The Dons added two more runs in the inning off California starter Jordy Lopez, who lasted just 1 2/3 innings. Kallinger later drove in another run with a groundout in the ninth, finishing with two RBIs.

California began chipping away in the second. Kodama led off with a bunt single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a groundout by Jack Applefield. The Golden Bears then capitalized on San Francisco miscues to tie the game. An unearned run scored on a failed pickoff attempt in the fourth, and another unearned run crossed in the sixth when shortstop Tucker Rogers mishandled a grounder with two outs, allowing Dylan Hanson to score from third.

Pitching dominated the late stages, with both bullpens delivering crucial zeros. For San Francisco, six relievers combined for 8 2/3 innings of three-hit, one-earned-run ball. Alex Gomez, Alan Gonzalez, Gino Rossi, Jake Andreas, and Magnus Nelson each threw at least one scoreless frame. Thomas Gonzales was charged with an unearned run in his two innings of work.

California’s relief corps was equally formidable after the shaky first. Cade Colombara provided 1 1/3 perfect innings of early stabilization. Take Kreis was particularly effective, striking out four over 2 1/3 innings of one-run relief, though the run was unearned after he left the game in the ninth.

The Dons missed a key opportunity in the top of the 10th. After putting runners on second and third with no outs following a single and a wild pitch, California reliever Sean Foley struck out Liam Busby and got Cole Garrison to ground out to escape the jam unscathed.

That set the stage for California’s winning rally in the bottom half. Wheeler, San Francisco’s seventh pitcher, hit Kodama and walked Hanson to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Caleb Snyder moved both runners into scoring position. Wheeler then hit Applefield to load the bases before Nakao’s patient at-bat ended the game.

San Francisco out-hit California 9-6 but stranded 10 baserunners. The Dons’ season record moves to 18-19. The Golden Bears improved to 21-18.

The most important sequence of the game was the bottom of the 10th inning. After San Francisco failed to score with runners on second and third and no outs in the top half, California executed a textbook rally without a hit. The combination of a hit-by-pitch, a walk, a productive sacrifice bunt, another hit-by-pitch, and finally a disciplined, game-winning walk by Nakao under maximum pressure exemplified small-ball execution to secure the comeback victory.

The teams are scheduled to meet again Friday in Berkeley.