PULLMAN, Wash. – As they've done many times over the past two months, the ninth-ranked Stanford baseball team rallied from behind to pull out a another victory, 5-3, over Washington State at Bailey-Brayton Field on Friday afternoon.
The Cardinal (39-14, 20-9 Pac-12) has won six straight and 20 of the last 22 games. Stanford has won 20 conference games for the first time since 1998.
Matt Winaker went 2-for-5 with the game-tying, two-run double in the seventh. He was followed by RBI hits from Nico Hoerner and Quinn Brodey to turn a two-run deficit into a two-run lead.
Senior Tyler Thorne threw two scoreless and junior Colton Hock extended his school record with his 16th save of the season. Hock's 25 career saves is one off the Stanford record and is tied for eighth in Pac-12 history.
1 away from the Stanford record, moving up the @pac12conference record book #GoStanford #FinalSeas9n
A post shared by Stanford Baseball?? (@stanfordbsb) on May 26, 2017 at 8:11pm PDT
Stanford was without its starter after two innings. Andrew Summerville left as a precaution with a blister. Freshman Erik Miller pitched well in four innings of relief, but the Cougars went ahead 3-1.
Washington State opened the scoring in the first. The first three Cougars reached to start the game, which included a run-scoring single. But Summerville struck out the next two and stranded runners at the corners.
Stanford answered in the next half inning. Sophomore Brandon Wulff extended his hit streak to a career-best nine games with an infield single and then went to third when a pickoff attempt sailed wide. Senior Jack Klein beat out an infield single to bring home Wulff and tie the game at 1-1.
T2: Cardinal dugout always gets the call right@jackson25klein beats out an infield single and ties it up, 1-1 pic.twitter.com/O7srjcr9Vm
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 26, 2017
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Miller entered in the third and did not allow a ball out of the infield in his first three innings of work. But in the sixth, a single to center broke that streak and started a rally for the Cougars. Three consecutive two-out singles brought home a pair of runs and Stanford trailed 3-1.
Stanford's four-run seventh started with a one-out walk to freshman Maverick Handley. Junior Jesse Kuet singled, and then Winaker, Hoerner and Brodey followed with back-to-back-to-back run-scoring hits (double, double, single).
Thorne struck out three and did not allow a hit. But in the ninth, two Cougars reached against Hock and the game-winning run stepped to the plate with two outs. Hock got a slow grounder that bounced behind the mound, and Hoerner calmly scooped it and threw it for the final out.
NUMBERS…
Summerville struck out three, allowed two hits and one run. Miller tossed four innings, gave up just four singles and two runs to earn his fifth win of the season (5-1).
Hoerner did not have multiple hits for the first time in six games, but had a double, scored and knocked in the game-winning run. Brodey was 2-for-5 for the second straight day, while Kuet and Klein each went 2-for-4.
AND NOTABLES
Washington State recognized head coach Mark Marquess before the game and gifted some of the area's signature wine and Cougar Gold cheese … In 1998, Stanford went 22-8 in conference play and won the Pac-8 Southern Division ... Kuet also extended his hit streak to a career-best nine games (second longest this season for a Cardinal) … Winaker has reached base in 24 consecutive games—a career best and the longest streak for a Cardinal since Alex Blandino reached in 31 straight in 2014 … A left-handed pitcher has started 44 straight games for the Cardinal (since Feb. 28) … Wulff has reached base in a career-high 13 straight games ... Stanford's 39 wins is the most since 41 in 2012.
WHAT'S AHEAD
One more regular season game remains. Stanford is shooting for its 21st 40-win season under Coach Marquess. Saturday's regular season finale is set for 1 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks, and senior Chris Castellanos is set to take the hill for the Cardinal.
Hosts for the NCAA Regionals will be unveiled on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. PT., and the postseason seeds and field will be announced on Monday at 9 a.m. PT on ESPN2 (note: network changed from ESPNU).
Stanford last played in a Regional in 2014 (won Bloomington, lost Super Regional at Vanderbilt), and last hosted a Regional in 2012.
SOCIAL SCENE
For the latest updates, you can follow Cardinal baseball all year long on instagram, twitter and snapchat (@StanfordBSB).
@CoachLeesWSU ??and ??for 9?
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 26, 2017
Including some signature Cougar Gold Cheese from @WSU_Creamery ?? pic.twitter.com/lnMzntvOWm