March 22, 2011
STANFORD, Calif.-- Freshman Brian Ragira hit for the cycle and No. 12-ranked Stanford (8-5) pounded out 16 hits in a 9-1 win over visiting Santa Clara (7-10) on Tuesday afternoon.
Ragira went 5-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs, hitting an RBI triple in the second, doubling and scoring in the third, and hitting a two-run homer in the fourth. Ragira completed the cycle in the sixth with a bloop single to right, becoming just the second Cardinal player since 1992, and first since Oakland A's Triple-A prospect Michael Taylor in 2005, to do so. He closed out his day with an infield single.
Austin Wilson and Kenny Diekroeger added three hits a piece as Dean McArdle (3-0) went the first 4.0 pre-determined shutout innings for the win. Three pitchers combined on a three hitter after a six hitter yesterday against UC Davis.
The Cardinal batted around off of two SCU pitchers to lead 5-0 in the second. The Cardinal scored three times, before chasing starter Cory Hall (2-3) from the game and added two more runs off of reliever Brock Simon.
Ragira added to the lead with a two-run home run as part of a three-run fourth to make it 9-0.
Ragira drove in the first run in the second with an RBI triple, before two-out RBI singles by Wilson and Jake Stewart made it 3-0. A two-run single by Kenny Diekroeger made it 5-0 off of Simon.
Ragira also scored the only run in the third, following a one-out double, making it 6-0.
NOTES: Stanford will play at Pacific on Wednesday at 6 p.m., before hosting Long Beach State in a three-game series starting on Friday... the Cardinal will webcast all remaining home games... the last two cycles in school history came in 2005 with Michael Taylor against San Jose State and in 1992 by Steve Soloman against Cal... six of the first nine runs for Stanford came with two outs... Stanford opens up conference play next weekend at Washington State... SCU rightfielder Lucas Herbst stayed in the game after chasing after a foul ball in the second and falling into the Stanford bullpen and staying on the ground momentarily before returning to his position following both training staffs looking after him.