STANFORD, Calif. – A pitching gem from senior Chris Castellanos and three home runs extended the season for No. 8 seed Stanford as the Cardinal topped BYU, 9-1, in an elimination game at Sunken Diamond on Saturday afternoon.
Stanford (42-15) moves on to play Cal State Fullerton in the first game of the Regional final at 6 p.m. The Cardinal has won 42 games for the first time since a 46-win season in 2004.
For the second straight game, Stanford was the road team in its own ballpark. BYU led 1-0 on a solo home run in the fifth, but senior Jack Klein homered in a three-run sixth, and Quinn Brodey and Daniel Bakst hit back-to-back home runs in a three-run seventh.
Castellanos threw the second complete game of his career, allowed just four hits and one run, did not walk a batter and struck out three.
Stanford had several good scoring chances early, but stranded a runner at third in the fourth and fifth.
Meanwhile, Castellanos cruised through four innings. The only hit he allowed was a two-out dribbler to third in the third. But in the fifth, BYU's second hit of the day was the first run of the game. Colton Shaver lifted a 3-2 pitch just over the wall in left center to boost BYU into the lead.
Stanford finally broke through in the sixth. Brodey and Bakst singled to start the inning, and were bunted over. Sophomore Brandon Wulff tied the game with an RBI ground out, and then Klein put the Cardinal in the lead for good. He crushed one into the trees in left field for a 3-1 lead.
In the seventh, Brodey blasted a long two-run home run to right center for a 5-1 advantage. Bakst immediately followed with a long drive over the wall in center.
NUMBERS…
Klein was 3-for-4 and a triple shy of the cycle, while Brodey finished a double shy of the cycle with a 3-for-5 effort. Both had two runs and two RBI. Bakst finished 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI.
AND NOTABLES
Stanford's 42 wins are the most since 2004 (44 regular season, 46 overall) … Stanford has won nine of its last 10 Regional games at Sunken Diamond … The Cardinal have outscored opponents 20-5 in the postseason … Chris Castellanos pitched the second complete game of his career (last: vs. Oregon State April 2, 2017) … Castellanos has tossed 17.0 combined innings in his last two starts, allowing just two runs in that span … Kuet's 12-game hit streak came to and end, it was the longest of the season for Stanford and the longest for a Cardinal since Quinn Brodey collected a base hit in 14 straight games last season ... Kuet has reached base safely in his last 13 games … Matt Winaker reached base for the 28th consecutive game, extending his career high and the longest streak for a Cardinal since Alex Blandino reached in 31 straight in 2014 ... Brandon Wulff extended his on-base streak to a career-best 17 games…Jack Klein is 5-for-8 (.625) with four RBI in the 2017 postseason and 8-for-16 (.500) with eight RBI in the last five games … Brodey is 7-for-13 (.538) with four RBI in the 2017 postseason and 10-for-22 (.455) with five RBI in his the last five games ... Stanford has 10 or more hits in 11 of the last 12 games.
WHAT'S AHEAD
Stanford takes on Fullerton in the Regional final at 6 p.m. PT. The Cardinal will be eliminated with a loss, but a win would force an elimination game against the Titans.
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