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STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford posted a four-run fifth inning to cut into a 5-0 Arizona lead, but the visiting Wildcats held on to deal the Cardinal its second straight Pac-12 Conference defeat, 6-4, Saturday at Sunken Diamond.
The two teams conclude the three-game series at 1 p.m. (PT) on Sunday. Pac-12 Networks will televise the contest.
Stanford (9-10 overall, 0-2 Pac-12) fell behind early when Arizona’s Michael Hoard scored on a double-play ball in the second and three more Wildcat (18-6, 3-2) runs came around in the third.
Bobby Dalbec drove in a fifth-inning run to make it 5-0 in favor of Arizona.
Mikey Diekroeger drew a walk to start the home half of the fifth and scored on Austin Barr’s double to left. It was Barr’s fourth RBI of the series. Jack Klein proceeded to smash a two-RBI triple to right and later trotted home courtesy of Bryce Carter’s infield single.
Standing on a 5-4 lead, Arizona added an insurance run in the seventh when Justin Behnke stole home.
Stanford had the tying run at the plate in the ninth before Jonny Locher grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. In fact, Arizona turned three double plays to extinguish as many Cardinal threats.
Keith Weisenberg (1-2) was pulled after 2.2 innings, as the Cardinal starter scattered six hits and four earned runs.
Gabe Cramer then went to work for 4.0 innings and kept the Wildcats off balance while surrendering only one earned run on two hits. Logan James was perfect in the final 2.1 stanzas.
Five of Stanford’s seven hits came from the bottom half of the lineup, led by Klein’s two knocks. Klein shared game-high honors with Dalbec with a pair of RBI.
Dalbec also threw 2.0 innings to register his fourth save on the season.