Stanford, Calif. - California scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the 11th inning to surprise #4 Stanford, 7-5, in a Pac-10 baseball game at Sunken Diamond on Friday. California's Clint Hoover hit a towering two-out pop up with two outs in the top of the 11th inning that was misplayed by the Stanford infield, scoring Mike Tonis from third base and Xavier Nady from second. Tonis had started the rally with a two-out single off losing pitcher Jeff Bruksch (2-3) before Nady followed with a double to put runners on second and third base. California improves to 24-22 overall and 9-9 in the Pac-10, while Stanford falls to 32-11 overall and 11-5 in conference action. Stanford also drops a game behind first place Arizona State in the Pac-10 race. The Sun Devils defeated USC, 3-1, in Los Angeles on Friday.
Stanford third baseman John Gall did set a new Pac-10 career record when he picked up the 338th hit of his illustrious collegiate career on a double down the right field line with two outs in the bottom of the 11th. Gall had entered the game tied with 337 hits and tied for the Pac-10 career hit record with former record holder Chip Hale of Arizona. Gall's double also extended his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games.
Stanford threatened in the bottom of the 11th before Chris O'Riordan flied out to center field to end the game with Joe Borchard on third base and Gall on second, representing the tying run. O'Riordan battled winning pitcher Rob Meyer (3-0) for 12 pitches before he was eventually retired. Meyer held the Cardinal scoreless on just one hit after moving to pitcher from center field in the bottom of the ninth inning.
"I was pleased with the way we battled back," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess about his team's rally from a 5-1 deficit after six and a half innings. "But they got some timely hitting and we didn't. That was the difference and you have to give them credit."
Tonis led the Golden Bear offensive attack, going 3-for-6 with a homer and three RBI. Meyer (2-for-4) and David Weiner (2-for-6) also had multiple-hit days.
Eric Bruntlett (3-for-5, 3B, RBI) and Edmund Muth (3-for-6, 2B, 2 RBI) each had three-hit days for the Cardinal. Craig Thompson was 2-for-5, while Andy Topham hit his third home run of the season. Topham's home run was a two-run shot that tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and his third home run in his last five games.
Stanford scored the first run of tonight's game on an RBI single by Muth in the bottom of the first inning. California tied the game at 1-1 on a solo homer by Tonis in the fourth inning.
The Golden Bears then scored three times in the top of the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead, scoring on a two-RBI single by Tonis and an RBI single by Weiner.
Stanford cut the score to 5-3 in the seventh on an RBI triple by Bruntlett and an RBI double by Muth, prior to Topham's game-tying home run in the bottom of the eighth.
Stanford did load the bases with only one out in the bottom of the 10th on three base on balls before Arik VanZandt lined out to second base and Thompson hit into a fielders choice to end the threat.
Stanford continues its five-game homestand by hosting California on Saturday (2 pm) and Sunday (1 pm) before concluding the stretch by welcoming USF on Monday, May 1 (6 pm).
Cardinal two-sport standout Joe Borchard is scheduled to compete in both Stanford's spring football and baseball games on Saturday. The spring football game begins at 12:15 p.m. Borchard is expected to play the first half of that game before heading over to Sunken Diamond for the baseball game.