April 25, 2010
STANFORD, Calif.-- Freshman Kenny Diekroeger delivered his second walk-off RBI of the weekend as No. 22-ranked Stanford (21-13, 10-5 Pac-10) swept visiting No. 15-ranked California (23-14, 8-7 Pac-10), 11-10 on Sunday, for its eighth-straight victory.
Diekroeger's RBI double capped a three-run ninth, after his sacrifice fly on Friday won the opener.
Diekroeger took a 2-2 pitch to left center to score pinch-runner Ben Clowe from second, after Jake Schlander tied the game with an RBI single.
Stanford led off the inning with back-to-back doubles, the second by Colin Walsh to make it 10-9 off of eventual loser Matt Flemer (2-2). Walsh then wisely tagged up and moved to third on a foul popup, forcing Flemer to walk Jonathan Kaskow, who had already delivered a two-run single in the game and was batting .462. Kaskow was pinch ran for, as Schlander drove the ball to left to tie it, and erase a 10-8 lead by Cal.
The Bears aggressive play gave them an 10-8 lead in the eighth, on a squeeze and a two-base sacrifice fly. Mark Canha's sacrifice in front of the plate with runners on the corners broke the 8-8 tie, before Brian Guinn scored from second on a deep fly ball to center to make it 10-8 off of reliever Mark Appel.
Chris Reed (2-0) go the final out in the ninth for the win, stranding two Cal runners in scoring position with a strikeout of Danny Oh.
Cal had previously closed to within 6-5, in the fourth and 8-7 in the sixth, before tying it in the seventh off an RBI single by Chadd Krist.
Stanford had led 5-0 after chasing Dixon Anderson from the game in the first.
Stanford starter Brian Busick could not get out of the fourth, giving up the first four runs, followed by three runs a piece by relievers Alex Pracher and Appel.
Cal relievers Chris Petrini and Matt Flemer combined for 4.1 shutout innings until the ninth.
Stanford will play at Santa Clara on Monday at 6 p.m before traveling to Washington next weekend for a three-game series, which includes Saturday's contest at the home of the Mariners, Safeco Field.
NOTES: Jake Stewart made a diving catch in center to rob Chad Bunting of a hit in the second... Stanford was looking for its first sweep of the Bears since 2004... it was Diekroeger's second walk-off double of the season, as he also won the Sunday finale against Rice.