SAN DIEGO – Blake Baumgartner hit a three-run walk-off home run off Broncos closer Travis Howard in UC San Diego's 10-9 win over Santa Clara baseball on Sunday to split the four game series.

UC San Diego (3-8) trailed by four runs heading into the bottom of the ninth facing Howard, but three straight hits by Ryan McNally, Anthony Lucchetti and Paul Gozzo trimmed the Bronco lead to 9-7.  With one out and two runners on base, Baumgartner sent the first pitch over the left field wall to complete the rally where the Tritons trailed by as many as six runs in the game.  

Baumgartner finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs while McNally, Lucchetti and Gozzo combined for seven hits and drove in five runs.

Santa Clara (6-9) built an early lead scoring three runs in the first, fourth and sixth.

The first inning was a repeat of Saturday's game when Jake MacNichols deposited a three-run shot to give the Broncos an early 3-0 lead.

The Tritons answered with a Michael Fuhrman solo homer and McNally's two-RBI single to knot the game at 3-all in the bottom half of the second against starter Brandon Buckley.

SCU re-took the lead in the fourth putting up three runs on four hits and two UCSD errors.  In the sixth, Jason Dicochea hit a bases clearing double to give Santa Clara a six run cushion at 9-3.

UCSD chipped away at the lead with two runs in the seventh and a run in the eight against Alex Reelfs who came in relief of Buckley in the third.  Reelfs gave up three runs over five innings and struck out seven before giving way to Howard.

Izaak Martinez (1-0) got the win throwing the final two innings while Howard (0-3) was saddled with the loss.

Dicochea went 4-for-4 with three RBIs with Coleman Brigan and Tony Boetto collecting two hits each. 

NOTES
• Four of the five home runs hit by Jake MacNichols have come in the first inning.  It was also his 42nd career home run, adding to his school record.  

NEXT UP
Santa Clara opens West Coast Conference play when they host Gonzaga next weekend.  Friday's first pitch is at 3 p.m.