March 30, 2012
.TUCSON, Ariz.-- After nearly overcoming five errors by Arizona, it was a single and error to center that gave No. 8-ranked Arizona four runs in the bottom of the ninth and an 8-7 win over No. 2-ranked Stanford on Friday evening.
Bobby Brown singled up the middle, scoring three runs, as the ball went under the glove of centerfielder Jake Stewart and scored the winning run from first.
Closer David Schmidt (2-1) came on with two runners on, walked the bases full before getting a strikeout. An RBI single to Seth Meijas-Bean made it 7-5, before Brown's two RBI single won it.
Stephen Manthei (5-2) pitched the ninth for the win in relief of Kurt Heyer, who struck out 11 and gave up seven runs (two earned) over eight-plus innings.
Mark Appel fought to pitch eight-plus innings, giving up six runs on a career-high tying 12 hits and was in line for the win. He struck out five and walked two as he overcame four runs after the first three innings and 57 pitches over that stretch.
Three errors in the seventh, two by second baseman Trent Gilbert, scored three runs and gave Stanford a 7-4 lead.
Gilbert started the seventh by getting stuck in the outfield grass leading to the first error, before Stanford scored two when Gilbert could not catch a routine relay from short. A throwing error by third baseman Seth Meijas-Brean led to the third run.
Alex Blandino had an RBI for his third-straight start, coming through with a two-out, two-run single in the second to give Stanford a 2-0 lead. Eric Smith extended his hit streak to 12 games with a single in the second as he was the trail runner to score behind Diekroeger.
Diekroeger's single off the glove of Heyer and ensuing error allowed Stanford to tie it for the second time, at 4-4 in the seventh. Diekroeger finished 2-for-5.
Arizona took its second lead of the game, at 4-3, in the third with a two-out, two-run double by Mejias-Brean.
NOTES: Arizona has not been kind to Appel, as he gave up a career-high 12 hits at ASU last year and at Arizona in this game... this is the first games for Stanford at Hi Corbett Field, a former spring training home to the Rockies. Arizona moved to the stadium this season from its on-campus facility.... Saturday's game is at 6 p.m. and Sunday's contest is at noon. The Cardinal host Saint Mary's again on Monday, before traveling to Washington next weekend for a pre-Easter series starting on Thursday, April 5.