May 14, 2010
STANFORD, Calif.-- No. 25-ranked Stanford (27-18, 11-8 Pac-10) scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to win its 10th game in its last at-bat, defeating visiting Washington State (27-18, 10-9 Pac-10) 8-7 on Friday evening.
Sahil Bloom (1-0), who used two pitches and a double play ball to close out the eighth after WSU took the lead, picked up his first collegiate win, while Alex Pracher picked up his third save with a scoreless ninth.
Jake Schlander drove in four runs, going 2-for-4, while Kenny Diekroeger extended his hit streak to 19 games with a rally-starting triple
Diekroeger began the rally with a triple down the left field line to plate two, before Schlander delivered an RBI single to make it 7-6. A pinch-hit RBI single by Eric Smith then tied it, before an error by second baseman Cody Bartlett off the bat of Tyler Gaffney made it 8-7.
WSU starter Chad Arnold's line of four runs on four hits was much better than the final line indicated, as he walked two in the eighth, both which scored, after allowing just two runs over the first seven innings.
The Cougars took a 5-3 lead in the seventh after trailing early, scoring three times capped by two-out RBI singles from Matt Fanelli and pinch hitter Derek Jones off of reliever Brian Busick. WSU added two more runs in the eighth to lead 7-3.
WSU tied the game in the seventh with a double steal, as a steal of home by Jay Ponciano with one out made it 3-3 after Michael Weber hit a solo shot to make it 3-2 in the sixth.
Brett Mooneyham pitched into the seventh, giving up five runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts. He began the night by striking out the side in the first and allowed just two runs until the seventh.
A three-run, one-out double by Jake Schlander gave Stanford a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Arnold had retired seven in a row until a leadoff single by Colin Walsh started the rally.
The series continues on Saturday at 2 p.m and Sunday at 1 p.m. RHP Jordan Pries (3-2, 3.44) will throw for the Cardinal against RHP James Wise (1-1, 5.23). Stanford remains at home on Tuesday, hosting Hawaii.
NOTES: Tonight's game will be broadcast on Saturday morning starting at 9 a.m. on FSN's family of networks. Comcast Bay Area and FSN Northwest will broadcast the game on Saturday at 11 a.m... Mooneyham has now pitched at least six innings in four of his last starts and struck out 39 over his last four starts.