March 27, 2011
Box Score STANFORD, Calif.-- Long Beach State third baseman Michael Hill made two key errors and Chris Reed retired all eight batters he faced for his third save, as the No. 12-ranked Cardinal (10-6) won the series with visiting Long Beach State (12-11) 6-5 on Sunday afternoon.
Reed came on with the tying run at third in the seventh and got a strikeout and flyout to keep Stanford in front for the second time in the contest. Reed then pitched a perfect eighth and ninth, finishing with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
Hill, twice gave Stanford the lead, as both of his errors, extended the inning and gave Stanford a 5-4 lead in the third and a 6-5 lead in the sixth.
The Cardinal rallied after giving up four runs in the first.
Hill's second error, following a leadoff double by Austin Wilson, allowed Wilson to score from third following a sacrifice to make it 6-5 after the Dirtbags tied it in the top of the inning.
Shawn Stuart (2-2) took the loss, giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits over the first 6.0 innings. Stanford's third pitcher, Scott Snodgress (2-1) got the win in relief with 1.1 scoreless innings after A.J. Vanegas pitched a career-best 4.1 innings to get Stanford into the sixth.
LBSU's Brennan Metzger tied it at 5-5 off of Snodgress, after Vanegas left following a leadoff double in the sixth. Stanford had erased a 4-0 lead with four runs in the third.
Four-straight singles led to four runs in the third to give Stanford a 5-4 lead. A two-run single by Stephen Piscotty started the rally, making it 4-3, before a single to left and another Hill erorr tied it at 4-4. Hill's second error of the inning pushed across the go ahead run.
Long Beach State sent 10 men to the plate in the first, scoring four times to lead 4-0, as Dean McArdle could not get out of the first, giving up all four runs on six hits.
NOTES: The Cardinal close out the home stand with Saint Mary's coming across the Bay on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.... Dean McArdle (3-0) came into the game with eight consecutive wins to start his two-year career. He remained undefeated following the rally in the third... Stanford begins Pac-10 play next weekend at Washington State... it was the team's first series win since the opening weekend with Rice.