May 9, 2010
LONG BEACH, Calif.-- Stanford (25-18) could not overcome a five-run first as Long Beach State (21-23) salvaged the final game of the series, 10-5, snapping the Cardinal's four-game win streak.
Branden Pinder (4-5) pitched the first six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits for the win. LBSU homered three times in pitcher friendly Blair Field on a windy Sunday afternoon. Eddie Magallon pitched the final three scoreless innings for his first save.
Kenny Diekroeger's second home run of the weekend, a solo shot in the fifth, extended his hit streak to 17 games and brought Stanford to within 6-5.
Kirk Singer then hit solo shot in the fifth, before a Diekroeger error in the seventh opened the door for two unearned runs to make it 9-5.
Stanford got back in the game with an unearned run in the third and three runs in the fourth to cut the LBSU lead to 5-4. A bases loaded walk followed by a two-out single by Tyler Gaffney brought Stanford to within a run, before Brandon Metzger's fourth inning homer made it 6-4.
Stanford starter Mark Appel (2-1) could not get out of the second inning, yielding five runs on four hits in his second career start. Brian Busick pitched the next 3.2 innings, giving up an additional two runs.
Small ball led to three runs for the Dirtbags in the second. Jonathan Jones stole two bases before scoring on an RBI single. A squeeze made it 2-0, before a double down the line made it 3-0. Another two-run single to right made it 5-0. Jones also homered to make it 10-5.
Stanford returns home for a contest with Santa Clara on Monday at 5:30 p.m and a game at San Jose State at Municipal Stadium on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Cardinal return to Pac-10 play next weekend with a three-game series against Washington State at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. Friday's game is fireworks night, starting at 6 p.m.
NOTES: Jones made a great leaping catch, leaping up the brick wall in left, robbing Stephen Piscotty of extra bases in the second inning... the all-time series ends at 10-5 in Stanford's favor after the first-ever regular season series.