SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Another solid start on the mound and some more slugging helped clinch a series victory for the University of San Francisco baseball team Saturday, as Scott Parker gave the Dons their second straight quality start and Riley Helland gave them another home run on the weekend in a 6-4 West Coast Conference victory over South Bay rival Santa Clara at Stephen Schott Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Like Friday's series-opening win, the Dons (15-11, 5-3 WCC) were slow out of the gate, scoring just one run in the first five innings. That left it up to Parker to keep the Broncos (4-20, 0-5 WCC) at bay. He did just that, allowing only one run in seven innings while scattering four hits with four strikeouts. Parker did not allow his first hit until the fifth inning, throwing 4 1/3 no-hit innings while also pitching around four USF errors up to that point. He would not allow his first run until the sixth, when San Francisco was already leading 3-0.
   
• San Francisco got some help in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, as Robert Emery scored on a two-out error by the Broncos second baseman. USF would go down in order in the third and fourth, then strand two runners in scoring position in the fifth before scoring again. Helland led off the top of the sixth with his second home run of the season, and a two-out RBI double by Jacob Westerman scored Jack Winkler and made it 3-0.
   
• The Dons scored three more runs in the seventh to make it five runs in two innings – insurance they would need, as Santa Clara made a late push. The Broncos got on the board for the first time in the series in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single by Matt Jew. Jew struck again in the eighth with a two-run home run, making it 6-3. And in the bottom of the ninth, the Broncos brought the tying run to the plate with no outs after a pinch-hit RBI double from Matt Smithwick, but USF closer Joey Steele logged his seventh save of the season with two strikeouts and a popup in foul territory to clinch the game.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 4: USF committed four errors Saturday, its sixth multi-error game this year and second in the last four games. The Dons have committed at least one error in six consecutive games, 11 total during that span.
• 5: Helland continued his warming trend, extending his hitting streak to five games. He has raised his batting average 45 points since starting the streak with three straight multi-hit games.
• 7: Jack Winkler extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2-for-4 day at the plate. He has had three separate hitting streaks of at least five games, and has hit safely in 24 of the Dons' 26 contests.

COMING UP

• The series concludes at noon on Sunday with San Francisco righty Grant Nechak facing Santa Clara left-hander Holden Bernhardt. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.