STANFORD, Calif. – Junior Chris Castellanos combined with three relievers to complete a 5-0 shutout and secure a series victory for Stanford baseball on Saturday at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal took the final two games against Washington State to clinch the first Pac-12 series of the season.
Castellanos (3-1) threw seven scoreless innings and surrendered just five hits. He also struck out five and allowed only one Cougars baserunner to reach second base. Andrew Summerville, Tyler Thorne and Chris Viall teamed up for the final six outs, and completed Stanford's fourth shut out of the season.
The Cardinal grabbed an early lead in the third inning. Sophomore Matt Winaker led off with a line-drive triple to the right centerfield wall, and junior Jack Klein promptly followed with a two-run home run to left center.
Later in the inning, sophomore catcher Bryce Carter walked and worked his way around the base paths on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt. Freshman Nico Hoerner brought him home on a groundout and the Cardinal led, 3-0.
Stanford tacked on another run in the sixth by way of another leadoff triple. Sophomore outfielder Quinn Brodey, who finished with a career-high three hits, drove one past a diving left fielder, and scampered to third as the ball trickled to the wall. He later scored on Mikey Diekroeger's sacrifice fly.
The Cardinal manufactured another run in the seventh when Winaker led off with a walk and advanced around the diamond via a passed ball and sacrifice bunt. Carter then laced a single through the right side for a 5-0 advantage.
"It was a good note to end on," Klein said of the series-clinching victory. "Now we just need to keep it rolling. We just have to play our kind of baseball and we will be successful."
Next up for the Cardinal is a Monday matchup with San Jose State. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is set for 6 p.m.