April 20, 2013
Box Score
STANFORD, Calif. - Brian Ragira nearly hit for the cycle, scored three times and drove in a pair but No. 17 Stanford did not find the late-game hit it needed in a 10-9 loss to No. 21 Arizona.
Ragira had a triple, double and two singles during his 4-for-5 outing as the host Cardinal fell to 21-12 overall and 8-6 in Pac-12 Conference play Saturday. Ragira has 10 RBI on 10 hits in his last six games.
With the series knotted at one game apiece, Stanford looks to knock off Arizona (25-13, 9-8) Sunday and take its fourth straight league series. The rubbermatch is set for 2 p.m. (PT) and will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks.
Ragira helped Stanford out of a 1-0 hole with a three-run third, doubling along with Austin Wilson after Alex Blandino crunched a leadoff homer which left Sunken Diamond in a hurry.
Blandino's homer, his second in three games, was the first allowed by Arizona starter James Farris this season and the first Cardinal hit on the day.
Farris gave up 10 hits and seven of his eight runs allowed were of the earned variety in 6.1 innings. Farris got room to work when Arizona paired singles by Kevin Newman and Riley Moore with a sacrifice bunt and sac fly to take a 1-0 lead after two.
Johnny Field smacked a two-out double to center, scoring two runs to tie it at 3-3 in the fourth. Field was joined on base by Trent Gilbert, who drew a walk to spell the end of the day for starter Dean McArdle.
Reliever Marcus Brakeman delivered a pair of wild pitches to Brandon Dixon as the Cardinal surrendered its lead.
The fateful top half of the fourth lasted 36 minutes and saw five walks, three hits, five runs and three stranded runners as Arizona built a 6-3 cushion with the five-spot.
Stanford walked nine batters and surrendered 11 hits in the contest. Logan James gave up three earned runs without allowing a hit in 0.2 innings.
Daniel Starwalt (2-1) fanned four in the final 4.2 innings. Starwalt allowed one run on four hits, which was the deciding solo homer by Brandon Dixon in the top of the ninth.
Brant Whiting and Drew Jackson singled and scored on a Justin Ringo double to shallow center in the fourth.
Leading 9-5, Arizona scored three in the fifth. Ragira tripled in the bottom half and brought Stanford within three on Wilson' single.
Arizona left the bases loaded in the sixth and stranded 13.
With two on base and one away in the seventh, a hitless Danny Diekroeger was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Austin Slater grounded into a fielder's choice to score Ragira. Wilson scored on a passed ball.
One inning later, Brian Guymon sparked a two-out rally with a double down the leftfield line. Guymon trotted home on a Ragira single through the right side of the infield.
Arizona had nine runs through five innings and had only one hit after the fifth until Dixon cleared the fence in the ninth.
Slater and Whiting drew walks in the final half but were two of nine Cardinal runners stranded on the day.
Matthew Troupe (3-0) stayed undefeated by limiting Stanford to one run on two hits over the final 2.1 innings.
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