On Sunday, #7 Stanford baseball defeated Arizona State 9-4, completing a three-game sweep in Tempe. Stanford junior right-handed pitcher Joey Dixon (4-0) was the winning pitcher for the Cardinal in a starting role while junior right-handed pitcher Brandt Pancer (5) was awarded the save. Arizona State junior left-handed pitcher Ross Dunn was the losing pitcher for the Sun Devils in a starting role. Stanford improves to 31-13 overall and 18-6 in the Pac-12 while Arizona State falls to 29-18 overall and 14-9 in the Pac-12.
BOX SCORE: Stanford at Arizona State-Sunday, May 7
In the top of the 1st inning, Stanford did not score any runs, but was able to load up the bases. Eddie Park got walked after which Tommy Troy got hit by a pitch, putting Park on second base. Carter Graham then struck out swinging for the first out after which Braden Montgomery singled to third base to load up the bases. Alberto Rios then grounded into a double play to end the top of the inning.
Arizona State added three runs in the bottom of the 1st inning to lead 3-0. Nick McLain hit a leadoff single through the left side and then advanced to second base via a throwing error from Dixon with Luke Hill at the plate. After Hill popped up to second base, Ryan Campos singled to center field to advance McLain to third base. Luke Keaschall then was walked, advancing Campos to second base, and loading up the bases. Jacob Tobias then hit a double to right field and was out at third base going for the triple, bringing all three runners home. Nu’u Contrades then grounded out to the catcher to end the bottom of the inning.
After neither team scored in the 2nd inning, Stanford responded in the top of the 3rd inning. Owen Cobb singled to center field and advanced to second base on a wild pitch after which Park was walked. Troy then hit a three-run shot to right center, making it a 3-3 game. Stanford nearly took the lead as Alberto Rios was walked with two outs and advanced to third base thanks to back-to-back wild pitches, but Malcolm Moore flied out to left field to end the top of the inning.
Neither team would score in the 4th or 5th inning and there were no pitching changes on either side. Things would change in the 6th inning as both teams scored while also making pitching changes.
In the top of the 6th, Moore hit a double down the right field line, ending Dunn’s day on the mound as Nolan Lebamoff came in for relief. After Drew Bowser flied out to left field, Jake Sapien went hit a moon ball to left center to bring home Moore. Stanford would not score any more runs the rest of the inning, making it a 5-3 lead for the Cardinal entering the bottom of the 6th inning.
In the bottom of the 6th, Dixon’s day on the mound for the Cardinal ended as Max Meier came in to pitch. With two outs, Wyatt Crenshaw hit a solo home run to right field, making it a 5-4 game. Isaiah Jackson then struck out swinging to end the inning.
Neither team would score in the 7th or 8th innings, but some pitching changes did happen. Owen Stevenson came in for Lebamoff in the top of the 7th for Arizona State while Pancer came in for Meier in the bottom of the 7th for Stanford with one out and nobody on base. No pitching changes happened in the 8th inning on either side.
Stanford entered the 9th inning with a 5-4 lead but expanded it to 9-4 by scoring four runs on two home runs. Graham hit a two run blast to left field to bring home Troy, making it 7-4. Rios then hit a two-run big fly to center field to bring home Montgomery, making it 9-4. Moore then struck out swinging to end the top of the inning.
In the bottom of the 9th down by five, Arizona State wasn’t able to rally. With two outs, Kien Vu was walked and advanced to second base with McLain at the plate, but McLain would be out at first base to end the game. Stanford walked out with a 9-4 win and a series sweep.
First off, I would like to make a correction that has since been edited into my preview. This is not the first road series Stanford has won in the Pac-12 this season. They swept Cal on the road earlier in the season.
Secondly, sweeping Arizona State is way more impressive than sweeping Cal. This Sun Devils team is for real and I actually thought they would be the ones who would win the series. So, for Stanford to not only win this series, but get the sweep is beyond impressive. First place in the Pac-12 was on the line and Stanford showed who the best team in the Pac-12 is with emphasis.
Up next for Stanford is a road game on Tuesday at Santa Clara. That will begin at 6:00 PM PT.
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