April 27, 2012
WESTWOOD, Calif.-- Mark Appel (6-1) struck out 10 and No. 9-ranked Stanford (27-10, 9-7 Pac-12) won its opener at No. 10-ranked UCLA (27-11, 11-8 Pac-12) 7-2 on Friday evening.
Stephen Piscotty and Tyler Gaffney each homered in support of Appel, who has struck out double digits in four starts against top-10 foes this season.
Appel pitched the first 7.0 innings, giving up a single run on eight hits, never walking a batter. The Pac-12 strikeout leader struck out at least two in three of the first five innings, including the side in the fifth.
Stanford meanwhile was building a 7-0 lead through six innings against Adam Plutko (5-3). Plutko had kept the Cardinal off the board over the first three innings, before surrendering seven runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings.
Gaffney hit his first home run of the season and with two outs Brian Ragira made it 2-0 in the fourth on an RBI double off the left field wall. A four-tun, fifth followed.
After a sacrifice fly, Piscotty's two-out, three-run homer to left made it 6-0. Austin Wilson added an RBI single in the sixth to make it 7-0.
NOTES: It was Appel's fifth start of the year with double digit strikeouts, four have come against top-10 teams (Texas, Rice, Oregon, UCLA).... Smart base running by Kenny Diekroeger, moved the Cardinal runner from first to second ona a sacrifice fly in the fifth, as shortstop pat Valaika was playing off the second base bag and unable to get the relay throw from center in time and race back to second to get Diekroeger... Saturday's game is at 2 p.m. and Sunday's game is at 1 p.m., before traveling to San Jose State to play at their on-campus facility on Tuesday at 2 p.m... The Cardinal are at Oregon State next weekend.