STANFORD, Calif. – For the second consecutive game, Stanford held a late lead only to have it slip away against Grand Canyon, this time surrendering six runs in the eighth as the Lopes (30-20) flipped a 6-4 deficit into a 10-6 advantage en route to clinching a series win over the Cardinal (24-23) on Saturday from Sunken Diamond.
The long ball accounted for all of Stanford’s offense in the game, as Jimmy Nati launched a pair of homers within the first three innings. The Stanford second baseman connected for a three-run shot in the first inning before sending a solo homer out to left field in the third to run his season total to 12.
Thanks to Nati’s two homers, the Cardinal carried a 4-1 advantage into the sixth inning. Nick Dugan, who got the start for the Cardinal and took a no decision, allowed a leadoff double and a one-out walk that left runners at first and second and forced the Cardinal into the bullpen. Left-hander Sam Garewal took over and allowed a bloop single to load the bases. Garewal struck out the next hitter for a big second out, but Cael Boever pinch hit and delivered a clutch two-out, bases-clearing double to tie the game at 4-4.
Still knotted at four apiece in the bottom of the seventh, freshman Rintaro Sasaki broke the tie with a towering two-run homer to right-center field. The round-tripper, which traveled 425 feet, was Sasaki’s seventh home run of the season and handed Stanford a 6-4 lead.
Sasaki finished the game 3-for-5 with a run scored and fell a triple short of the cycle.
Grand Canyon answered immediately in the eighth, connecting for three home runs and putting six runs on the board while compiling five hits and taking advantage of one Stanford error.
After Garewal retired the first hitter faced in the inning, Billy Scaldeferri homered to left field to cut the lead to 6-5. A two-out walk gave the Lopes more life, as Josh Wakefield stole second and scampered home on a single into shallow center field to tie the game at 6-6. Eddy Pelc and Zach Yorke followed with back-to-back home runs – the 13th homer of the season for each – and Cannon Peery tripled-home the final run of the inning after an error was charged to Temo Becerra at shortstop.
Garewal was ultimately charged with the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits, including the three homers, over 2 1/3 innings. The native of San Diego, Calif. dropped to 1-2 on the season.
Elijah Higginbottom was credited with the victory after pitching four innings and allowing two runs on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts out of the Lopes bullpen. Walter Quinn, who converted his 10th save of the season on Friday night, returned to the mound on Saturday to pitch a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation.
Stanford will host Grand Canyon in the final home game of the season on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Sunday’s finale is Senior Day as the Cardinal will recognize its seven seniors – Temo Becerra, Brett Blair, Saborn Campbell, Trevor Haskins, Jake Sapien, Charlie Saum and Ty Uber – prior to first pitch.