Walk It Off

STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford came within an out of losing to Saint Mary’s Tuesday night at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond, but a game-tying triple by Zach Hoffpauir and a walk-off single by Danny Diekroeger two pitches later made the Cardinal a 7-6 winner.

“It really took all of us today,” said Diekroeger. “A win like this took a bunch of guys getting on base, Zach (Hoffpauir) getting that huge hit, and then I was able to finish it off.”

Diekroeger’s hit off of Jacob Valdez (1-3) was a line drive to the right fielder’s left that got down to send the rest of the Cardinal rushing to the field. They mobbed Diekroeger while Hoffpauir trotted home after pounding a triple to the right center gap.

The single was Diekroeger’s second hit of the day to lead four Cardinal with multi-hit efforts. Austin Slater, Austin Barr and Brant Whiting also had two knocks.

Stanford (13-16, 4-8 Pac-12) totaled 12 hits to tie its best total since Feb. 18, while allowing only four. Saint Mary’s used its opportunities to near full advantage, scoring six runs with just three runners left on base.

One of Barr’s hits was a blast over the left field wall to bring Stanford within one run in the fourth. The Cardinal had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Saint Mary’s scored five unanswered, on just two hits, to pull ahead 5-1.

The Gaels (13-22, 1-5 West Coast) scored three in the second on two walks and a homer off of starter Tyler Thorne, before getting two more in the fourth. Saint Mary’s fourth and fifth runs were scored on a sloppy play when Darian Ramage singled up the middle to score one run and eventually came around himself by advancing on an outfield throw and then moving two more bases because of a throwing error on an attempt to get him at second.

Each team scored in the seventh to set the table for Hoffpauir and Diekroeger in the ninth.

Leadoff man Alex Blandino started the inning with a six-pitch walk and Brett Michael Doran followed with his 14th sacrifice bunt of the season. After a strikeout, Hoffpauir and Diekroeger finished the job.

Sam Lindquist (2-0), who threw the final two innings without allowing a hit, earned the win. He was one of six Cardinal hurlers, as Stanford had planned to give its bullpen some innings.

Logan James relieved Thorne after two innings and threw two frames. He allowed two runs, one unearned, on one hit. Chris Viall looked sharp in keeping Saint Mary’s hitless in the fifth and sixth, Griffin Weir got two outs and allowed two hits in the seventh and Chris Castellanos finished Weir’s inning before Lindquist came on.

Stanford now turns its attention to Arizona State this weekend. The Sun Devils visit for games Thursday-Saturday.