April 7, 2012
SEATTLE-- No. 6-ranked Stanford (19-7, 4-5 Pac-12) scored two runs in the ninth, on an interference call at the plate, followed by a double steal, to take its series at Washington (17-11, 4-5 Pac-12) 8-6 on Saturday afternoon.
Stephen Piscotty (2-0), who gave up the tying runs in the eighth, before a scoreless ninth, picked up his second win for the week. Kenny Diekroeger drove in two runs as part of a three-hit afternoon, which included his first home run of the season.
Piscotty's fielder's choice to third also led the Cardinal to its final lead of the day. With runners on the corners, Tyler Gaffney was caught in a run-down between third and home. As Gaffney raced back and forth, home plate umpire Jake Uhlenhopp called interference and gave Stanford a 7-6 lead. The very next batter, Brian Ragira then struck out, as Piscotty stole second. The ensuing throw allowed Austin Wilson to steal home and make it 8-6.
Each team scored twice in the eighth in a back-and-forth contest that saw Stanford at one point lead 4-0. Washington also tied it at 4-4 by scoring three of its first four runs on errors.
Solo shots by Diekroeger and Brian Ragira made it 6-4 in the eighth, before Washington answered with two off of Piscotty in the bottom of the inning. Gaffney though kept it at 6-6, when his relay throw from left kept extinguished the potential go-ahead run at the plate following a two-run double by Caleb Brown.
Washington got back into the contest after being down 4-0. Two unearned runs scored in the seventh to complete the comeback after Jake Stewart could not catch an easy fly ball to begin the inning. A groundout plated the first run following the three-base error, before a two-out RBI single by Branden Berry made it 4-4.
Three singles in the fifth scored Washington's first run, before a single and two errors in the sixth cut the lead further to 4-2.
Stewart's tenth double of the season gave the Cardinal a 4-0 lead in the fourth against reliever Jeff Brigham. Brigham pitched 3.0 shutout innings of relief, after starter Austin Voth gave up the first four runs over three-plus innings.
Eric Smith scored the first run in the second on an RBI single by Diekroeger, before Stanford took a 3-0 lead on a two-run single by the Cardinal catcher.
AJ Vanegas had a no-decision despite 6.0 innings of work for the Cardinal, giving up two runs (one earned) on nine hits, leaving a 4-2 lead to David Schmidt (two unearned runs) and Piscotty (two runs).
NOTES: It was Vanegas' first weekend start since week one, February 19 against Vandy. Vanegas has given up 3 ER over the last 21.0 innings... it was the second time this weekend Gaffney had thrown out a runner this weekend... the lineup was shifted with Tyler Gaffney in the leadoff spot and Jake Stewart batting ninth... Stanford returns to the Bay after Easter to play at Cal on Monday and host Pacific next Tuesday. The Cardinal host Oregon next week in a three-game series starting on Friday.