April 19, 2013
STANFORD, Calif. - No. 21 Arizona held a 3-0 lead through four innings and had a golden chance to put itself in position to take the series opener after loading the bases in the ninth, but Stanford closer Sam Lindquist left three Wildcats stranded to preserve a 4-3 win Friday for No. 17 Stanford.
Lindquist earned his fourth save on the season by inducing a one-out infield grounder, then speared a screamer back up the box and tossed to first for the final out. Lindquist entered the game in the ninth after reliever Garrett Hughes put two Arizona (24-13 overall, 8-0 Pac-12) runners on base with no outs.
Stanford (21-11, 8-5) took a 1-0 lead in the series against the defending national champions and returns to Sunken Diamond for a 2 p.m. (PT) meeting on Saturday. Live video, audio and stats will be available at GoStanford.com.
Arizona built its lead by collecting three runs - two earned - off of Mark Appel (7-2) in the first four innings. The Wildcats found all the holes and benefitted from a few generous bounces while shaking Appel for seven hits.
Appel, who lasted 6.2 innings, fanned six to put himself in a tie for fifth on Stanford's all-time strikeout chart. With 326 strikeouts, Appel shares the spot with 1988 College World Series Most Outstanding Player Lee Plemel.
Appel did not walk a batter until issuing a pair of free passes in the seventh. It was his first multi-walk outing since the Feb. 15 season opener at Rice.
Konnor Wade (3-4) suffered a three-run fifth and gave up one run in the sixth to take the loss. Only two of the runs allowed on five Stanford hits with Wade on the mound were earned.
Johnny Field's flyball to center was dropped by Wayne Taylor and Arizona added a pair of doubles to score an unearned run and give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the opening half.
Joseph Maggi's infield single caromed off of third base, and he would score on Field's triple in the third.
The offensive activity for Stanford came in the fifth. Brant Whiting drew a walk, Alex Blandino was hit by a pitch and Justin Ringo reached on catcher's interference for the third time this season. Brian Ragira was plunked to bring home a run and Austin Wilson poked a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to knot things at 3-3.
Wilson's hit was the only knock for Stanford in the frame.
In the sixth, Blandino doubled home Austin Slater for the go-ahead run.
Brant Whiting threw out two runners attempting to steal.
Danny Diekroeger matched Brandon Dixon with a game-high two hits.
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