April 17, 2010
CORVALLIS, Ore.-- Colin Walsh hit a two-run homer in the top of the 10th as Stanford (17-13, 6-5 Pac-10) took the series with host No. 14-ranked Oregon State (20-10, 3-5 Pac-10) 5-3.
Walsh finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs, also delivering a two-run triple in the fifth after Stanford trailed 3-0.
Alex Pracher (5-2) got the win, pitching the final two innings, which included a four-pitch tenth.
Tyler Gaffney led off the tenth inning with a bunt single off of loser Tyler Waldron (3-3), before Walsh took a 2-1 pitch to right. Gaffney also made a game saving and inning ending catch in right, to send it into extra innings and strand runners on the corners. It was one of eight putouts by the Stanford rightfielder.
Stanford chipped away at an early 3-0 lead with Walsh's two-out triple in the fifth and Gaffney's RBI groundout in the seventh to make it 3-3.
The three runs off of Stanford starter Jordan Pries, all off a three-run homer by Stefen Romero (8) in the fifth, were the only damage the righthander gave up in his second-straight no-decision.
Pries struck out a season-high seven over 7.1 innings, leaving the go-ahead run at second following OSU's sixth hit in the eighth. Scott Snodgress got a strikeout and groundout, before yielding to Pracher following a ninth inning error. OSU had just one hit after the third, a double off of Pries, in the eighth.
OSU lefthander Tanner Robles pitched the first 7.1 innings, striking out four and giving up eight hits.
Sunday's finale will be at an earlier than scheduled 12:30 p.m start, with Brian Busick (3-1, 3.16) set to pitch for the Cardinal.
NOTES: Pries' previous best for strikeouts was 10 versus Arizona State and eight versus USC, both last year... Stanford returns home on Tuesday to begin a four-game home stand with Santa Clara at 5:30 p.m. Bay Area rival, California, come to Klein Field at Sunken Diamond next weekend for a three-game series.