March 28, 2010
STANFORD, Calif.-- Colin Wash delivered the go-ahead, two-out, two-run single in the seventh as No. 19-ranked Stanford (12-6, 2-1 Pac-10) won the conference opening series over visiting USC (12-12, 1-2 Pac-10) 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Alex Pracher (4-0) took the win with three shutout innings of two-hit, two strikeout baseball as Walsh finished with three of the team's six hits.
Stanford took its lead in the seventh, after USC starter Andrew Triggs (1-3) left two runners on base for Chad Smith with one out. After a line out by pinch hitter Kellen Kiilsgaard, Walsh delivered the first pitch to right to give the Cardinal the lead. Triggs went the first 6.1 innings, giving up three runs on six hits
Pracher worked out of a jam in the top of the eighth, as following a single and a walk, Pracher balked both runners into scoring position, before pinch hitter Mike O'Neil grounded out to third to end the threat and keep Stanford up 3-1.
Brett Mooneyham had his best start of the season, throwing the first six innings for Stanford, giving up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in a no-decision. Mooneyham worked out of a bases load jam in the fifth in a 1-1 game, as he got a called strike three on Alex Sherrod to end the inning after walking the bases full.
Stanford hosts the University of San Francisco on Monday at 5:30 p.m as the Hilltoppers travel down the Peninsula with a 12-13 record after losing two of three at UCSB this weekend. The Cardinal travel to UCLA starting on Thursday.