Handley_Hits_2017Handley_Hits_2017
Baseball

No Sweep

BERKELEY, Calif. – Freshman Maverick Handley's career-high three hits nearly led No. 10 Stanford to a sweep, but Cal prevailed in Monday's series finale at Evans Diamond, 5-3.

Stanford (33-14, 15-9 Pac-12) finished 4-1 in the season series against rival Cal. The Cardinal erased a 3-0 deficit and tied the game in the sixth, but Cal answered in the home half and held of the Cardinal. It was just the second loss in the last 16 games for Stanford.

For the third straight day, Cal (22-26, 13-14) took the early lead. The Bears got three infield singles, a bloop single and capitalized on an error to get three across in the second inning.

Stanford stranded two runners in scoring position in the first, left the bases loaded in the second, and another runner on in the third.

The Cardinal broke through in the fourth. Junior Matt Winaker went the opposite way with a double that one-hopped the wall in left center. That scored Handley, who had doubled to right.


Sophomore Brandon Wulff hit a long solo shot off the scoreboard in left center to pull Stanford within one in the sixth. Later in the inning, Handley singled and was bunted into scoring position. Winaker laced a singled through the middle to tie the game at 3-3.


Cal needed just three pitches to regain the lead. Tanner Dodson tripled and an RBI ground out made it 4-3. That extended to 5-3 with a two-out RBI single.

Stanford threatened with two outs in the ninth. Daniel Bakst walked, and Duke Kinamon singled through the left side to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But a strikeout ended the game.

NUMBERS…
Starter Chris Castellanos surrendered 10 hits and allowed five runs (four earned) in 6.1 innings. Thorne got the last five outs, gave up just one hit, struck out three and did not allow a run.

Handley went 3-for-4 with two runs, while Winaker finished 2-for-5 and knocked in two runs. Wulff was 2-for-3 with a walk and his fifth home run of the season.

AND NOTABLES
Winaker has reached base in 18 consecutive games—a career best and the longest streak of the season for the Cardinal … Handley and Wulff have each reached base in seven straight games – a career high for Handley and matches a career high for Wullf … Freshman Daniel Bakst has a hit in 28 of the last 33 games.

WHAT'S AHEAD
Stanford wraps up its midweek schedule with a trip to Santa Clara on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Stanford has one more home series remaining. Friday (6 p.m.) is Fireworks Night, Saturday (2 p.m.) is Coach Marquess bobblehead and trading card giveaway day, and the final chance to see No. 9 in the Stanford dugout at Sunken Diamond is Senior Day on Sunday at 1 p.m.

SOCIAL SCENE
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